Soul Stealer
by Salvatore Shan NW
Summary: Kagome's good luck is about to end when Inuyasha sleeps over. And when she's struck down with an unknown fever the gang are forced to face the Soul Stealer, Callisto. One flick of her tentacle and she'll drain your life away... FINISHED! LAST CHAPTERS UP!
1. Intro

**Soul Stealer  
**Intro

! PLEASE READ THIS INTRO !

_NOTE_

This is my first Inuyasha story so if it's bad then I'll try and do better. The reason my other story _Volume One_ doesn't count is because it's the manga in book version and isn't my own story line.

If Sango seems a little bit out of character in any of this then it's because I have only seen about twelve episodes of Inu and I only have the first six of the manga – so I'm only up to Miroku.

Hope you like this. Oh yeah, and I don't know if Kagome ever turns sixteen or anything in the episodes so if she does then I'm sorry but I'm kind of new to all this. I own none of the characters except Callisto and possibly a few extras (if I add them along the way). I know the first chapter's rubbish but give me a chance, okay?

Also. Inuyasha is spelt like this in this story because I can't be bothered to put the dash in and not many people spell it the other way. The reason it's 'Inu-Yasha' in _Volume One_, is because that's how it's spelt in the manga, okay?

_SUMMARY_

Ever since Kagome's sixteenth birthday things have started to go right. But after the night that Inuyasha sleeps over and they do _more_ than talk, she's about to witness the end of that lucky streak. It's hard for two friends to keep a secret – especially when it's so damn obvious what happened.

Plunged into battle after Kagome's taken over by a fever, the gang face a rogue demoness – who's threatening to kill Kagome and Inuyasha. With one whip of her tentacle she'll capture your soul… and _nothing_ will stand in her way.

_DEDICATIONS_

The dedications will stay the same throughout the whole of the story. This is for my friends – if they ever read this – and on the list today is: Emily, Jade, Tom, Chris and Ashleigh. Reason being either 1: They've watched the show with me, 2: They've read the manga, 3: They're addicted like me, or 4: Want to start reading it, even though I scare them cause I'm obsessed. They know to which category they belong.

And for those of you who review at any point in the story, no matter how many times or whatever you say, this is for you too.


	2. School's Out

**Soul Stealer  
**Chapter One – School's Out

Kagome was walking home. Hair shadowing her forehead, you wouldn't know that the summer holidays had begun. She looked distraught. _That_ was down to the envelope in her hands. She was fumbling with it – turning it over and over like a Catherine Wheel, trying to pick up the courage to read what was inside. _I've failed, _she thought, fingers tightening at the idea. _There are no two ways about it. Maths just isn't my thing. _

She sighed and looked up to check her route. The steps that led up to her home were looming into view, towering above her and making her insides shrink. Ever since she'd been little she'd laboured up those stairs, but she still got a sinking feeling inside every time she set eyes on them. Chucking her black hair back behind her shoulder, she began fidgeting with the envelope even more.

Kagome hated report cards. She hated Mama reading them, she hated telling her friends what she got and most of all she hated being disappointed. _I have to open it, _she moaned inwardly, _to give me warning before Mama finds out my grade. _Kagome looked down at the envelope. _Come on, girl, it's not like you've had worse things to handle – you fight demons, right? _

Out loud, Kagome whispered, "Right," and started to open it, breath snagging in her throat as she ripped the top delicately. Mounting the steps to the shrine on instinct, she kept her mind on what was on her report card and her body on getting home without falling down the hundred-or-so steps.

The card slid out into her palm as soon as the envelope was opened. Kagome let out a deep breath and started reading the grades, her brown eyes running down the list of subjects. All was going well, and then she dared herself to look at her math grade. She froze, both mentally and physically – foot poised over a step.

"I… I…" she choked out, shaking her head in disbelief. _No… that's… that's gotta be a mistake… _Slowly, and very hesitantly, she started walking again. "I passed?"

She had. The elegant 'C' resting in the grade box next to her worse subject looked beautiful every time Kagome glanced at it.

"A 'C'!" Kagome cried, hugging the piece of paper. If anyone had been spying on her, they'd have thought her pretty strange at that point, but Kagome didn't care. _Now I'm on track. My education… my future… I don't have to rely on shard hunting any more, because I can get a decent job with these. _She couldn't wait to see the look on Mama's face when she came home, brandishing her good grades.

And for one moment, she almost forgot about Inuyasha… _Almost_.

* * *

"I'm home!" Kagome cried, kicking her shoes off and dropping her backpack. What was unusual was that no one came out to greet her. She'd gotten used to Sota running up to her and welcoming her home. Not that it mattered… her brother must have had homework.

Kagome wandered into the kitchen. Mama was preparing dinner. Judging by the pot of ramen on the counter, they had a guest. Kagome didn't falter. She stepped over to her mother casually, and silkily waved the report card in front of her nose. Immediately, Mama Higurashi caught hold of what her daughter was getting at.

She left the pot of noodles bubbling away in the saucepan as she snatched at the card hungrily. "I bet you did well, sweetie." She said, before reading the list. Kagome did a pirouette and grinned brightly. Buyo mewed on the kitchen floor and Kagome bent down to stroke him.

As soon as she'd started tickling her cat's stomach, her mother had rushed up behind her and pulled her into a hug. "And you did so well in maths, too! I thought you said you were going to fail!" she cried, talking as if they'd been having the conversation before.

Kagome frowned, an idea striking her. "Mama, maybe you should ring the school. What if they got it wrong?"

"Nonsense," Mama reassured, yet she still promised to ring them in the evening. She put the card down on the side and went back to the dinner. "Kagome," she spoke over her shoulder. "There's someone waiting for you upstairs,"

Kagome was already leaving. "And would that someone have long white hair and puppy dog ears?" she teased, before treading upstairs.

Mama smiled, shaking her head. _I expected him to come straight downstairs, _she thought._ He really wanted to see her today…_

* * *

Kagome arrived on the landing, swinging on the banister and resting her hands on her bedroom door all in one movement. She'd been sixteen for two months now and wasn't the only one to realise that she was overflowing with luck. It was as if, after a whole year of nothing but fighting and killing, she was being rewarded.

_As if. _It wasn't fair that she was getting what she wanted. It was almost too good to be true, sometimes. And other times it hurt people – hurt them a lot. 'Be careful what you wish for' was a common saying… and only now did Kagome understand it. Because the day she'd turned sixteen, Kikyo had died.

"Inuyasha? Are you in there?" she called, knocking on her own bedroom door. It made her feel silly, but if he were asleep or something… There was no answer. Kagome frowned – not honestly believing he was mad at her or anything. It wasn't like she'd _wanted_ Kikyo to die. She just wanted her… out of the way. Or rather, she'd wished Inuyasha wouldn't have loved her anymore. _Be careful what you wish for…_

She opened her bedroom door, the pink walls coming into view. "Inuyash–" she stopped. _There's no one in here… _Shutting her bedroom door behind her, she frowned. "Inuyasha?"

_"There's someone waiting for you upstairs,"_ Kagome remembered her Mama saying. _Then, where is he, Mama? He wouldn't have left already, would he? _Kagome deflated. _And I wanted to see him so badly… I wonder how he's coping?_

Sighing, she sat down on her bed, picking up a pillow and placing it on her lap. Fiddling with the lace edges, she looked out of her bedroom window at the cloudless sky. _He's been acting weird for a while now… _

Her bedroom door opened. "_Kagome_?" Kagome's head snapped up. There – standing in her doorway – was Inuyasha, looking a little depressed but still with a smile on his face. "When did you get home?" he asked.

Kagome turned away from him. "Oh? And I thought you had superhuman hearing," she mused, putting the pillow back in place.

Inuyasha walked towards her, frowning. "Not when my ears are plugged up by your brother's metal things…"

"What metal things?" Kagome turned back, only to see him sit down next to her.

"These things that, you know, sing and stuff."

Kagome sniggered. "They're called headphones. And they don't sing. They're playing music – it's pre-recorded so people can listen to it. You know? A CD player?"

Inuyasha frowned, screwing up his face. "Well, I didn't like it." His ears twitched at the thought. "And what kind of music is that anyway?"

Kagome sighed and fell back on her bed, grabbing a pillow and hurling it at him. "You don't understand," she groaned. "Things change. Technology is advanced now. And plenty of things are different – you know that." She shut her eyes. "It's hard to explain everything so just… don't ask me questions anymore."

"Keh!" Inuyasha grabbed the pillow in midair and put it down on the floor, folding his arms and turning away, not willing to admit that he was hurt. So _what_ if he didn't understand? It wasn't his fault that he was from the past. But talking about metal things that played music wasn't what he'd come to see Kagome about.

He let the matter drop and looked anywhere but at Kagome. "So… how have you been?" he asked, not normally waiting for a reply so anxiously. They'd argued the other day… and he hoped that she wasn't still raw about it.

"Fine," Kagome said, raising her voice as if she didn't know why he was asking her that. If anyone, she should be asking him. "Look, if it's about that argument…"

"No, no. I'm sorry 'bout that." Inuyasha looked down, eyes narrowed – staring at something only he could see. Kagome gave him a quick look. He looked so… _lost_. Not like his normal self. _Ever since– _

Kagome suddenly felt the need to wake him up, to remind him that he wasn't the only one hurting. She wanted _attention_. She clenched her fists and glared at him. "It's not my fault!" she screeched, pounding her bed and standing up. "Stop… thinking it was _my_ idea! It wasn't me who killed her!"

Inuyasha almost fell back in shock. If he'd looked sad before, now he looked close to tears – and Inuyasha wasn't the crying type. She'd made him jump out of his skin; she'd turned so suddenly. _She must be under a lot of stress…_ He didn't blame her for what happened to Kikyo… it wasn't like Kagome was someone who could _do_ that.

She'd _saved_ Kikyo once – twice, even! – and Inuyasha was pretty sure that if it came down to it she'd do it again. And then, all in one moment, he noticed that Kagome was crying.

"I… I only wanted you to forget about her…" Kagome dropped to the floor, knees sliding together as she bowed her head – her green skirt resting neatly about her. "I… I just wanted you to love me… as much as you love _her_," this, she said without anger – without flinching. She put pure determination behind it, and it sent Inuyasha reeling.

_But… but she doesn't… _He looked away. "You wanted that?" he murmured.

Kagome, on the floor, didn't answer. She'd just realised how she'd switched moods so suddenly. _What's wrong with me?_ She wondered. _This isn't _me_ at all. _

"Kagome?" Inuyasha looked at her… _really_ looked at her. The way her hair sometimes fell about her face like his – with the ear tails hanging down to her shirt. The way her eyes glinted when she was happy or upset. The way she would fiddle with her fingers when she was nervous. All that… and _more_ made him love her and he wished that he could only admit it. "_Kagome_?" he prompted again.

She looked up suddenly. Inuyasha sighed. "I asked you a question."

Kagome frowned. "S'funny. I thought you didn't want an answer. You're obviously too disgusted with me to want me to say 'yes'."

Inuyasha shot up, sleeves flailing around at the short burst of energy. "That's not true!" Dropping suddenly as if Kagome had said 'sit', he sat down opposite her and grabbed her hands. "I didn't say I blamed you! I didn't say I didn't love you! And what gave you the idea that you were… were only second best?"

Kagome refused to look up. _Luck_? She didn't have any luck at all. Why did she think that she could be happy for one minute – when stuff like this always kept happening?

"Kagome, look at me!" Inuyasha let go of her hands and grabbed either side of her face, pulling her head up so their eyes locked. "I…" he began, but then stopped, trying to find the right words, the sudden anger washing out of him as quickly as it had come.

Kagome _did_ look at him – she drank him in. His snow-white hair that she always wished she could put up into a ponytail. His amber eyes that shone like the sunset. The worry and sadness in his face that drove away all other emotions. No, _wait_... Not _all_ emotions. There was still one left. _Love_. Undying, pure love.

Inuyasha shut his eyes and took a deep breath. _Oh please… _Kagome prayed. _Please let him tell me that he loves me…_

"Kagome, I have something to ask you." Inuyasha said softly, brushing his hair back with one hand. The other one was now wandering back to one of Kagome's own hands, his fingers ready to lock together and entwine with hers.

"Mm?" Kagome prompted, feeling the tears evaporate from her eyes. _This is our moment… _she thought. The_ moment… and nothing will take this away from us. _

Inuyasha sighed. Their fingers snapped together, hands joined. "I know you told me not to ask you any more questions, but please, one more." Kagome looked a little confused, almost forgetting what she'd said earlier. Did Inuyasha _really_ pay that much attention to what she said? She nodded, though. At that, Inuyasha started up again, almost hesitant. "And if I ask you this, promise me that you'll say 'yes'."

Kagome sniggered. "There's not much point in asking a question if you already know the answer." But she waited for him to speak anyway.

Inuyasha secretly smiled behind his hair, ears perking on top of his head. Kagome leant forward, expectantly. When he _did_ speak, she was swept away… only to land in his arms.

* * *

Hope you liked it so far. But if you want the next chapter, you're gonna have to review. And if you read this and don't review, then you're letting yourself down (that is if this is good). With every five reviews a chapter goes up… or I'll work something out. Keep me happy and you'll still have your story 


	3. Their Moment

**Soul Stealer  
**Chapter Two – Their Moment

"_I know you told me not to ask you anymore questions, but please, one more…_ _And if I ask you this, promise me that you'll say 'yes'."_

Inuyasha squirmed uncomfortably on the carpet, eyes wandering around the room – not even looking at the girl in front of him. His palms were sweaty and he'd never thought a room was capable of being _this_ stuffy. He opened his mouth to speak.

"Kagome, would you…" Inuyasha bowed his head, not sure whether this would make sense to someone from the future. He wasn't sure whether tradition was the same – whether Kagome would make sense of his 'proposal'.

He finally plucked up the courage to say what he meant to say. "I know that you're a human, and… and people say that there's this uncrossable river between demons and humans, right?" he didn't wait for Kagome to nod or answer with the affirmative, he steamed on, afraid that he'd lose his courage.

"But I'm _half_-human, and maybe there's a chance that we could…" he stopped. He'd taken one whole year to say this. One whole, damn year! One year of protecting her, of lying about what was blatantly obvious, of standing around and watching her get friendly with people like Kouga…

Inuyasha bowed his head and sighed. "If we ever…" His throat locked up. Taking a deep breath, he carried on. "If we ever… or rather, _when_ we complete the Shikon Jewel, will you… will you stay with me? I mean… live with me and b-b-be my–"

Kagome felt that same sinking feeling in her stomach that she got when she saw the shrine steps, except this time it was magnified a thousand times. But she wasn't annoyed or afraid… she was so happy that she leapt on him. She didn't even wait for him to whisper the word: "–wife."

"Yes!" she cried, their hands still locked together. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"W-Wait…" Inuyasha choked out, laughing and protesting like he was being tickled. "Kagome, I haven't finished." Feeling victory flood through every part of his body gave him the strength to continue.

Kagome sat back, wondering what he was going to say. Inuyasha smiled, sitting himself up a bit. "When that happens, then we can get rid of the jewel for good… by purifying it, right?"

Kagome was puzzled. She narrowed her eyes, wondering what he was getting at. "How?" she asked.

Inuyasha sighed and looked away. "By making me a human," he said, and he spoke without any bitterness at all.

* * *

Kagome and Inuyasha were silent at the dinner table. Occasionally they would get odd looks from Grandpa and Mama Higurashi, but neither said anything. Sota wasn't there (he was staying with his friend, Satoru, for the night).

The table layout suited all. Oden, mainly, for the Higurashi family and ramen for Inuyasha.

Eventually when the dinner had been eaten, all the plates were empty and Mama Higurashi was cleaning them away, she gave her daughter and the half-demon a worried glance. "Are you two okay? We heard a lot of shouting earlier, and–"

Kagome cut her off. "Uh, we only had a little argument, Mama – but we're sorted now, aren't we, Inuyasha?" she looked at the boy on her right and flashed him a movie-star smile. He nodded fervently. "Yeah, we're fine."

He reached for Kagome's hand under the table – though he didn't have to reach far because she was reaching out for his, too. As soon as their hands locked together they both looked at each other and smiled.

Mama gave them a strange look when she noticed this but then decided that they looked content. She sighed and started doing the washing up, giving Kagome's grandpa a meaningful glare.

"Huh?" Grandpa piped up, looking around dumbly. This attracted attention and Kagome stared at him, trying to work out what was going on.

Mama gave Grandpa another look, and then he caught her meaning. He cleared his throat. "Uh, Kagome, me and your mother are going to an open evening at the museum… something about, uh…"

"We won't bore you with the details," Mama jumped in, hands firmly in a pair of rubber gloves – complete with washing-up liquid. "But we'll be gone until late, so I thought you two would like to watch a film or something."

"Film…?" Inuyasha repeated, looking confused. Kagome smiled at him, and he realised it must be something to do with 'advanced technology'… whatever _that_ meant. Obviously something he didn't understand…

"We're fine, Mama. We can watch TV or find something else to do." At this, she gave Inuyasha a very thoughtful look. Luckily, her mother didn't see – she'd turned back to the sink. Inuyasha stared back at Kagome, puzzled.

Grandpa stood up. "I think we won't be back to the early hours of the morning… we might be going out for dinner and then your mother's going to catch up with some friends – so, look after the house."

"We will," Inuyasha and Kagome said, simultaneously. They both stood up, tucking their chairs in – being careful to let go of their hands under the family's all seeing eyes.

Then, Grandpa gave Inuyasha a desperate look. "Oh, and Inuyasha… stay out of my shed."

Kagome hadn't the heart to tell her Grandpa that it was she who had said 'sit' and made Inuyasha crash through his shelves and break Grandpa's precious heirloom vase. She laughed sweetly and Inuyasha glared. _(Note: Episode 160!)_

* * *

The screen door slid to a close, cutting off the biting cold outside. Kagome's mama and grandpa were escaping through the grounds of their home, passing the well house and taking their time down the steps of the shrine – Mama in a shawl, arm linked in Grandpa's.

"I hope they don't fight," Mama Higurashi sighed, shaking her head. Grandpa fidgeted uncomfortably and only responded with a muffled 'uhn'. "It's just that," Mama was continuing, "we can trust them alone, right?"

It was Grandpa's turn to sigh. "Yes, dear. I'm sure they'll be fine."

"But I'm not talking about them fighting anymore. What if they…" she broke off and lowered her gaze – then, with the sudden energy of a teenager, bounced back happily and said: "No, that'll never happen!" and grinned broadly.

Kagome's grandpa gave his daughter an odd glance, and then, with a start, they realised they were in the street – far below the shrine. The steps had ended. "Let's hurry," Grandpa huffed, starting to walk briskly to the left. "We don't want to be late. I heard there's free food…"

* * *

Inuyasha stood by the front room – looking in absently and wondering what to do with himself. Kagome had said simply that she was going upstairs 'to change'. Did it really take her half an hour to put on a different shirt? Inuyasha was bored and was fidgeting, unhappily. Kagome was always there to cheer him up and entertain him (even if he didn't like saying so), and now that she wasn't around – he noticed it.

He sighed and started tapping his foot, frowning. What was taking her so long?

Kagome, in her room, was picking up different shirts and flinging them on the bed. She was really trying to impress. She was standing, glaring at the vests and t-shirts in anger, wearing nothing more than a pair of tight black jeans and a bra. Her hair was brushed back from her face, held in a stylish bun with a pair of decorated chopstick-style hairpins. She didn't realise that some strands were falling loose about her ears and making her look even more graceful.

Eventually she picked up a silvery dress that hung to just below her hips. Slipping it on, she realised that it brought out the ebony of her hair, and it looked perfect with the jeans. More strands of her hair were coming loose, and yet she still didn't take any notice.

Her dress was silky and thin, the two straps holding it up hardly accounting to anything. Yet, she looked…

"_Perfect_." Kagome smiled, staring in her mirror and adding some makeup touch-ups. If only she could look this way all the time. But… she couldn't. Not if the Sengoku Jidai had anything to say about it. Kagome sighed and flung open her bedroom door, not bothering with shoes.

Not one for entrances, she just walked down the stairs normally – catching sight of the white-haired boy standing idly in between the living room screen doors. But he didn't catch sight of her until she was right behind him.

"Boo," she said softly. Considering that the house had been silent only a moment before, Inuyasha jumped with fright and leapt round, his claws outstretched. But when he saw her… his body stiffened and he froze in place. He didn't think he could talk even if he wanted to.

"So, what do you think?" Kagome asked, spinning on the spot. Inuyasha's mouth fell open. He was making noises similar to that of someone who was having trouble breathing. Hyperventilating. His amber eyes were large, his pupils practically invisible. Kagome batted her eyelashes – not intentionally, just trying to get an answer out of him.

He looked paralysed.

"I think…" he began, and then very slowly his body relaxed. The house, the shrine, the whole _world_ had disappeared and instead there was just the two of them. In a place that had nothing but was everything…. everything to him. He didn't know whether he could speak his mind or not, because he felt that if he spoke true he would collapse on top of her. _That_ thought was enough to send a blush creeping up and over his cheeks.

"I think…" he said again, feeling very hot under the collar. He was panicking now, wondering whether she would accept what he was about to say. Inuyasha wasn't one to speak his feelings but now that he was so close to having her completely… now that nothing was in his way and he knew who he wanted at last…

He cleared his throat and took hold of one her hands. Kagome looked up into his eyes, her silver eye shadow dancing in the artificial light churning out from the overhead lamps. Her mouth opened – lips parting. Her face was softening until she looked enlightened and wise beyond her years.

"I think… I want to kiss you," Inuyasha smiled, speaking slowly and softly so that every word made an impact. Kagome's mouth formed an 'o' shape, and her cheeks felt hot. She looked down, embarrassed, and then she smiled beneath a few dangling strands of hair.

"I'd like that," she replied. And then she looked up, to see that Inuyasha's eyes were already closed and he was leaning towards her. She did the same, shutting her eyes and trying to keep everything inside of her – holding onto the moment forever. Her heart was pounding in her throat, her blood roaring in her ears. She could hear him breathing, hear herself dragging in shaky breaths. They were taking in the same air – they were that close.

She could smell him… he smelt like forest pine needles and Spring… like grass after it's been raining and cinnamon… like sandalwood and exotic fruit. Kagome felt dizzy and drunk. _I think I'm going to faint… _she thought, and yet it was nothing in comparison to when their lips met.

Electric shocks set every nerve ending in her body alive and alert. Her skin fizzled and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Her hands were shaking as Inuyasha pulled them upwards, resting them on his shoulders. The bottom of her spine was numb and her head was reeling.

_This feels… so right. _Kagome thought happily, almost crying with sheer pride. _Finally… _His lips were warm… soft like flower petals and just as fragile. Kagome opened her mouth slowly, sending him an invitation. Inuyasha accepted and wrapped his arms around her waist, tongue simultaneously sliding into her mouth.

Kagome did the same, except her arms were around his neck and she was pulling him in, deeper and deeper. She wanted them to be the same – to be one. _Absorbing_ him. Their tongues flicked continuously, back and forth, sending a shiver of pleasure up both of their spines…until the moment where they both had to come up for air.

They fell apart, their breathing ragged and unsteady – coming in short gasps. Even Inuyasha was having trouble standing up straight as he spiralled off to collapse against the wall. Kagome was shivering in disbelief – her mind trying to process the fact that she'd just had her _first_ kiss! And with Inuyasha, too!

The fireworks in her mind were pounding victoriously. Then slowly, she realised that her hands were still around the hanyou's neck. The only trouble was, the atmosphere in the room had gone from electric to ice cold in the blink of an eye. Inuyasha wasn't looking at her. His face was turned away and his expression was unreadable. Kagome swore that his eyes were dark. Dismay rippled through her. _What's wrong with him? _She wondered. _Isn't he happy? _

She tried to turn him. "Inuyasha?" she whimpered, feeling as if she was calling out to an empty room 'is anyone there?'. He didn't answer. There was only the echo of his name in her head and heart. "Inuyasha?" she said again. He turned his face further away, breathing muffled as his face flattened against the cool wall.

_What now? _He wondered. _Is she really ready for…? _Inuyasha stopped, mind made up.

Kagome, wishing she could just jump into his head, was on the verge of tears – wondering why he had to ruin such a perfect moment. _Because he's an idiot, _she realised, frowning. _He probably isn't taking any of this seriously. _

But she was wrong. _Very_ wrong. Inuyasha turned back to her, eyes shining like the setting sun, a big smile on his face. And then, not even giving her a moment's warning, his smile cracked his face in two and he grabbed her, carrying her bridal-style upstairs.

"Inuyasha! What are you–?" Kagome began, but then stopped, breaking off into a giggle when Inuyasha started laughing too. Oh, she loved it when he laughed… and she figured that whatever he was thinking, she might like it.

She was right. Inuyasha didn't let go of her until they were in her bedroom, and the door was _locked_.


	4. Back In Time

**Soul Stealer  
**Chapter Three – Back In Time

"_Inuyasha! What are you–?" Kagome began, but then stopped… she figured that whatever he was thinking, she might like it. _

Kagome normally hated waking up in the morning. But not today. Not with her head firmly against Inuyasha's chest, listening to her boyfriend's beating heart – both their hair fanning out about them – black on white. She sighed and yawned, rubbing a hand up and down his torso, thinking: _this is heaven. _

Her bed sheet was dangling unusually low, which was ironic when she needed it to cover herself more than usual. She groped about with her left hand, discarding Inuyasha's chest and stomach, trying to find the sheet. _There. Got it. _She pulled it back up, over her bare body and Inuyasha's abdomen.

Again she sighed. Her room was bright with the early morning sunshine filtering through her bedroom window. Her door was still shut – and hopefully still locked. Kagome glanced at her mirror, which – due to the sun – was casting rainbows all around the room. There she saw her face.

She was tanned and a hot flush was covering both her cheeks. Her hair was dangling about her shoulders, dishevelled – the hairpins lying on the floor absently. Her dress was thrown over her desk chair, along with her jeans, a red fire-rat jacket, matching trousers and a white shirt. Kagome also noticed her underwear littering the floor and grimaced, turning away to look up at Inuyasha.

He was still asleep… and smiling, too. His ears were limp, like a dogs' when it's happy or relaxed. Kagome grinned and reached out a hand, fingers curling around one of his white bangs. She tweaked it playfully, but Inuyasha didn't wake up.

Kagome looked away, fingers instinctively playing with the fine strands of his hair. She wondered what time her family had gotten back last night… and then was consumed with panic. She let go of Inuyasha's hair and sat up, clambering out of bed.

_If Mama finds out she'll kill me… _Kagome thought, feeling bare and inhuman all of a sudden. She picked up her underwear and started to dress herself, feeling a headache coming on. _It must have looked suspicious if my bedroom door was locked… _

Kagome picked up last night's clothes and hung them up in the wardrobe. She hadn't worn them long… they could be worn again. And if she'd thrown them out to be washed, her mama would ask why she'd worn a dress if she'd been staying indoors.

The whole attempt at dressing up left Kagome feeling stupid now – all that hard work… and only to have it taken off immediately afterwards. Still, if she hadn't worn it, then maybe this wouldn't have happened…

Immediately her gaze turned towards Inuyasha. _Idiot! Stop it, girl! He's asleep – just get changed and do what you gotta do. _Kagome's inner voice whined, punishing her. She moved her lips in a manner that wasn't _quite_ a smile, and picked out her light brown skirt from her wardrobe. Then she grabbed a plain white vest-top and started to dress.

Only when she was brushing her hair did Inuyasha wake up. "Mm?" he moaned, eyes opening, head tilted in her direction. It took him a moment to focus on Kagome, standing by her bedroom window (which was actually a door), brushing her hair. He mentally cursed. He'd wanted to wake up first… just to see her in her sleep, to see how peaceful she would look. He was robbed of that now.

"Morning," he smiled limply, sitting up. He pulled the bed sheet up with him, covering himself. Kagome smiled back, turning to face him. _She's dressed already? How long was I out? _Inuyasha wondered.

Kagome walked back over to the bed. "Did you sleep okay?" she asked. Inuyasha nodded, looking around for his clothes. Last night he hadn't cared where he'd thrown them, so long as he was with Kagome and nothing would tear them apart. His eyes stumbled across them. _Her desk. _

Kagome coughed, trying to grab his attention. Inuyasha's eyes automatically locked with hers. "I'm going downstairs to see Mama. It might look strange if we go downstairs together."

Inuyasha frowned. "We did once,"

"I know, but I didn't look guilty then and you were the one who slept, not me." Kagome reassured. She stood up. "Just get changed, and be down soon – okay?"

"'Kay," Inuyasha replied.

Kagome started to turn away when she remembered something. "Oh, I forgot…" and then she turned back, bending down so she could kiss him. He kissed her back, smiling slightly.

Then Kagome pulled away. "Be down soon." She told him, unlocking her door and heading out to the hallway.

"I will." Inuyasha promised, stepping out of the bed and reaching for his clothes. They both smiled, and then Kagome disappeared down the stairs, her bedroom door swinging shut. Inuyasha was all alone in Kagome's room, and he looked at the walls with distaste.

"Keh! Pink. I hate pink." _Funny. I don't think I've ever cared much before. _He thought, putting on his trousers. _I wonder why. _He didn't know that it was because he was automatically making the shrine his home. So much for staying in the past…

* * *

"Kagome, why was your door locked this morning?" Mama asked, giving Kagome a look that meant 'you can tell me anything'. Kagome didn't fall for it.

"I didn't like the idea of sleeping with it open when you weren't home… there are some weird people about, right? So I locked it in case someone… you know..."

"Oh. Well then, that's okay, dear." Mama Higurashi smiled. "Did you sleep well, Inuyasha?" she asked the boy dressed in red who was sitting at the table. Inuyasha beamed back. "Very well, thanks. In fact…" he gave Kagome a cheeky smile. "I've never slept better."

Kagome blushed and whipped away – keeping her face hidden whilst her heart pounded furiously. Her mother, oblivious, laughed – apparently flattered. She started up the frying pan, readying the fried-breakfast. She gave the pan a soaking of oil, sloshed it around and drained most of it away.

"Are you going back today?" she asked, referring to the Sengoku Jidai. She cracked two eggs and dropped them into the pan, discarding the shells on the counter.

Kagome and Inuyasha both answered with the affirmative. Mama Higurashi replied with a nod of her head, and set her mind on cooking.

The front door slid open, filling the house with sound. The next instant, there was the pitter-patter of feet in the hallway. "I'm home!" came the juvenile call of Kagome's little brother, Sota. The next instant, he skidded into the kitchen, black hair standing on end. He'd rushed getting ready this morning – his shirt was not only inside out but also back-to-front. Kagome sniggered.

Sota smiled. "Morning, Inuyasha!" he cried once he'd located the hanyou sat at the table. "I left you listening to my music yesterday. How was it?" he piped up excitedly. He was upset when he realised that he couldn't sit next to him… Kagome dropped down into the seat on Inuyasha's left.

Inuyasha frowned, distastefully, at the memory of 'those metal things' and folded his arms. "S'okay." he replied, his tone clearly defining that it wasn't. Sota paid no attention. "Good!" he jeered, pulling a chair round so he could sit on the side of the table nearest to Inuyasha. "I've got more CDs if you want to listen–"

"No thanks," Inuyasha cut in, ducking his head. Kagome laughed. "Sota, maybe you should go and change." She told her brother, not at all upset that he hadn't paraded her with any 'hellos' this morning. Sota looked down, saw that he looked like a fool in front of his most favourite person ever, and blushed furiously, turning on his heel and running upstairs.

"Here ya go! Breakfast is served!" Mama Higurashi announced, placing two plates of bacon and eggs in front of Inuyasha and Kagome. The two were famished and launched on their plates immediately – Inuyasha not caring that it wasn't ramen, for once.

* * *

The breakfast table was empty. Kagome was filling up her pack with pots of instant noodles, a change of clothes, a first-aid kit, her pots and pans, a lighter, and some other things for the trip. This time, Inuyasha was helping her and not grumbling about how much she took.

"Lighter?" Kagome asked.  
"Check," Inuyasha replied.  
"Ramen?"  
"Check,"  
"Bandages and medicine?"  
"Check,"

And it went on like this until everything on the list was accounted for. Kagome's pack was shut (with some difficulty and a bit of strength on Inuyasha's part) and they were ready to go.

"Bye," Kagome waved, kissing her mother on the cheek. Mama nodded, grinning.

"Kagome, I rang the school this morning. Apparently, your grade was fine, it wasn't a mix up." She stopped and then laughed. "Looks like you're having a lucky couple of months!"

Kagome smiled in thanks, apparently satisfied, and then turned away. Mama Higurashi had to go through the same old feeling inside that she got every time her daughter went back in time. _What if, this time, she doesn't come back?_

When Kagome was saying goodbye to her grandpa, Mama took Inuyasha aside. A little flustered, the hanyou obeyed, looking slightly guilty and wondering whether she knew what had happened last night.

Mama looked pleadingly into his eyes. "Look after Kagome for me," she whispered, practically begging. Inuyasha practically fell backwards in shock. After all this time, she hadn't once said something like that to him. It threw him off balance. Not that he had to be told to look after Kagome… he loved her too much for anything to happen to her. _There. _That word. The one word he couldn't say to her._ Love. I love your daughter, Mrs Higurashi…_

"I will," he said, denying his true feelings yet again. He hadn't told Kagome that he loved her – not directly. He'd said, '_I didn't say that I didn't love you_' but that wasn't the same thing. Inuyasha felt uncomfortable suddenly and he looked down.

"Thank you," Mama Higurashi smiled, going back in the house. Kagome's grandpa did the same. Then Inuyasha looked over at his new girlfriend and smiled.

"Ready?" he asked.

Kagome nodded. He walked over to her and took her hand, eyes dancing happily. Together, they stepped into the well house. Kagome hated the darkness of it, and gripped his arm. She knew she shouldn't be afraid – after all the things she'd been through – but she couldn't help it. The whole dampness of it… it was like it was just about to collapse…

_This_ was where it all started. Just over a year ago. Kagome trembled as they appeared at the side of the well, after walking down the wooden steps. She placed her hands either side of the vertical tunnel, eyes following the path down. From here, you could see the bottom – except when the right people hit the floor they would pass through. Or in other words, Kagome and Inuyasha would.

Kagome took a deep breath.  
"Ladies first," Inuyasha smiled.  
Kagome snorted. "_Now_ you're being a gentleman?" she mused.

Inuyasha shrugged, still grinning. "There's a first time for everything."  
Kagome smiled back… looked down into the square abyss… and jumped.

* * *

Sota ran into the kitchen, looking smart and fully dressed – hair spiky at the front. But the kitchen was empty of the hanyou and his sister. He frowned. Mama and Grandpa were watching the news in the living room.

He ran in there, hands on hips. "Mama, where's Inuyasha and Kagome?" he asked, eyes wide. Mama looked up and smiled apologetically. "They already left, Sota. They were in a hurry to get back."

"Oh," Sota frowned, dropping down on the carpet. He looked down into his hand to see what he'd brought down. "And I thought Inuyasha would _want_ to listen to my CDs…"


	5. Facing The Music

**Soul Stealer  
**Chapter Four – Facing The Music

"_Ladies first,"_ _Inuyasha smiled… Kagome smiled back… looked down into the square abyss… and jumped._

_Five months later…_

"No food. No water. No clothes. No hotel. And no shards." Kagome stated, ticking each thing off on her fingers as she went, voice rising higher and higher. "Guys, shouldn't we just give up?" she looked around at her companions.

Sango looked ready to collapse; yet Miroku was adamant. 'There has to be an inn round here, somewhere!' was his attitude. Shippo was clinging onto his shoulder, practically asleep and Kirara was mewing in sympathy, her twin tails drooping. In fact, they were all drooping – they were soaked!

That was what you got after wading through a lake to get to the other side. Kagome's legs were dripping wet (Inuyasha had carried her through), and it was an unpleasant feeling to have the wind tear at your legs from time to time. She felt sorry for the others (except Shippo, who'd stood on Kagome's head and hadn't got wet at all).

Of course… they'd been really tired at the time and hadn't thought their plan through. So, when they'd gotten to the other side, Miroku realised that they could've just rode Kirara across instead. That resolved in him getting a thump from Inuyasha. _So much for a lucky streak… _the whole of Kagome's luck had disappeared the day she'd jumped down the well after so willingly spending the night with Inuyasha. She guessed that she must have used it all up by then, anyway.

Kagome looked at the half-demon leaning against a tree, sitting amiably and staring straight ahead. They hadn't had a chance to _really_ talk for months now and things were starting to become just as they were before. But it couldn't be helped. Inuyasha caught Kagome staring. Their eyes locked. It seemed hours until Miroku started talking and severed the moment completely.

He'd caught them staring at each other and was turning something over in his mind. "You know, you two have been acting odd for a while now." He noted. "Ever since that night that you slept over Kagome's place, Inuyasha."

"And what's that supposed to mean, monk?" Inuyasha scowled, eyes narrowed. Gone was the warm look in his eyes that he reserved for only Kagome. Now his amber's eyes were dark orange – bordering red.

Miroku held up his hands in surrender. "I was only implying that…"

"Well _don't_," Inuyasha snorted, turning away. Shippo yawned at that precise moment, and then everyone took in the situation. They needed to rest.

Kagome had gone back to her time about seven times since the incident with Inuyasha – _almost_ twice a month. Things had started getting bad here. At one point, Kaede's village had been raided by demons and they'd had to go and help out. Sometimes it was near impossible for her to go home. At one point they had been so far away from the well that it had taken a whole week to walk back.

Sango dropped down onto the floor, her boomerang collapsing behind her, thudding loudly on the ground. Inuyasha's ears twitched at the sudden sound and he screwed up his face. Kagome sighed and sat down too, looking up at the night sky.

What didn't help was that Kagome's legs were cold and numb from the water and her stomach hurt. No… not just hurt. It was more than that. It was as if someone had stabbed her in the gut a hundred times – the pain was _unbearable_. At times she thought she was going to be sick but then other times she thought she was just going to _scream _so loud that…

"Kagome?"

Kagome's head jerked up. The others were looking at her, concerned. She hadn't realised that she was clutching on to her stomach. But… it wasn't just her stomach that hurt. The entire bottom half of her body felt so heavy and so… _paralysed_. Kagome realised at that instant that she couldn't move.

Inuyasha stood up and started to walk over. "Are you okay?" he asked, his tone laced with worry. Miroku shot him a glance and then gave Sango a look that said 'see what I mean?'. Sango, behind Inuyasha, nodded.

Kagome cringed as her body instinctively fell back, so she was completely spread-eagled on the floor. "Yeah, I'm fine." She reassured, yet she winced half way through the sentence and it lost the effect. Inuyasha sat down beside her and studied her quietly.

"You said that you wanted to scream… what was that about?" Inuyasha said quietly, eyes flicking back and forth, looking from her face to her stomach and then back again.

"I did?" Kagome replied. Suddenly another wave of pain shot up from her lower body. Her face went red and everything started to become out of focus. Black dots swam in her vision.

Kagome slammed her eyes shut. _Damn it! _The pains had started a week ago, and now they wouldn't go away. She hated feeling like this. The pain was even _worse_ when she was on her period a couple of days ago – which she didn't tell anyone about, not even Sango. Sometimes, she had to keep it to herself.

This was the first time she'd expressed her pain so openly, and she could see the worried and anxious faces of her friends. Shippo – now asleep – was placed on the floor by Kirara, and Miroku and Sango came over to study the 'patient'.

Kagome opened her mouth and let out a screech. Inuyasha covered his ears. "It hurts!" she cried, clutching her stomach even tighter.

Sango started getting frustrated. She went over to Kagome's humungous pack and started sifting through it. "Kagome, do you have any medicine to treat this?" she asked.

Kagome shook her head. "No. I only have bandages. We used up the last of the ibuprofens when Miroku got a hangover." Two pairs of narrowed eyes – belonging to Sango and Inuyasha – glared disapprovingly at the monk.

Miroku put a hand behind his head for support and started laughing innocently. Inuyasha turned back to Kagome.  
"Here," he said, raising her head and putting it on his lap. "Is this better?"  
Kagome, feeling his familiarity, looked up and _did_ feel better. "Mm," she nodded, smiling. Miroku raised an eyebrow yet said nothing. Sango stopped rummaging and turned back to her friends, thinking.

Kagome felt herself drift in and out of consciousness. After a while, it was Inuyasha who said: "I think we should get some sleep."

Miroku and Sango nodded, dropping to the ground appreciatively. Inuyasha looked down at Kagome, who was already asleep. Smiling slightly, he tugged her back so he could rest against a tree and still have her on his lap. Before he fell asleep, he remembered thinking: _I wonder what's wrong with her. _But he didn't list the possibilities. He was far too tired to bother.

* * *

Things felt so much better in the morning. Kagome, for example, didn't feel any pain at all. Sometimes it came and went throughout the day – yet it was always _there_. Waiting. But she didn't fret about that. When she'd woken up, her face had been buried in Inuyasha's thigh. _That_ was what mattered.

But this time she hadn't been the first one awake. Inuyasha looked down at her, grinning. "Morning," he said casually. Kagome smiled once she'd realised the pain had gone, and looked up brightly. "Morning," and then they did something they hadn't done in a long time. They kissed.

And this time, they felt the same as they had before. The same fireworks and electricity short-circuiting feeling. As if their bodies were reawakened and they were aware of everyone and everything – but most especially each other. It felt so good to be back together again…

They broke apart and smiled happily. "Do you feel better?" Inuyasha asked, stroking Kagome's stomach. Kagome nodded, grinning. "Yep. And, I don't know about you, but…" she jumped up, startling Inuyasha that someone so ill could be so energetic. They'd all noticed how pale she was getting… how sickly…

Kagome was continuing. "I want a shower. Or a bath. Whatever suits. Wasn't there a waterfall a couple of minutes to the south?" she asked. Inuyasha nodded, standing up. "Yeah. Looks like we're having a shower."

Kagome nodded. "Mm," She held out a hand and Inuyasha took it. Then they looked at Miroku and Sango. The two were fast asleep. Miroku had somehow, in the night, crept over to Sango and had wrapped an arm around her. She would _not_ be pleased when she woke.

Inuyasha and Kagome were just about to leave the clearing when their little fox-demon companion stretched and woke up. Inuyasha and Kagome froze as soon as Shippo opened his eyes.

"Oh. You're up!" he cried, jumping on his feet. "Where are you going?" he asked.

Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged glances until finally Kagome turned back to the boy and smiled. "We're going for a shower. Do you want to come?"

Inuyasha stared, wide-eyed, at Kagome as if she'd lost her mind, but Kagome paid no attention. It would look far too suspicious if they left him… Shippo nodded fervently. "Yeah!"

Kagome, standing conveniently by her pack, got out some shampoo – abandoning the bucket that she reserved for hot springs. She waved Shippo over, and he jumped on her shoulder happily.

"Only, don't tell Sango and Miroku," Kagome said. "Cause they won't like it that we took you and not them."  
"Yeah," Inuyasha interjected. "If they can't get up in time to get clean, then they just have to go without. Otherwise we lose time, right?"  
"O…kay," Shippo replied. He didn't want to see Miroku and Sango disappointed.

* * *

The waterfall was beautiful, surrounded in a circle by plush grass and flowers – with ivy and foxgloves creeping around the base of the 'fall's rock. It had a small, shallow pool, and wasn't very tall – so the force of the water wasn't too strong. In short, perfect to bathe in.

Shippo was the first in. He was small enough to not bother with the waterfall. Instead he ducked his head again and again in the water to wet his hair, and then he shook it out, ignoring how wet his bow got. He steered away from the daggers of water shooting down from above and splashed about in the pool, like a human child would.

Kagome started taking off her clothes. Shippo ignored her – he didn't care, he was far too young to be interested. But Inuyasha stopped and stared. It had been a long time since he'd seen her naked – and even _then_ it had passed by in a blur, they'd been kissing and he hadn't taken notice. But _now_ he took notice.

"Kagome…" he began.  
She ignored him. By now she was completely bare and was stepping into the water. "Come on, Inuyasha, take off _your_ clothes," she said, sounding like she was teasing him. His eyes grew wider, his pupils smaller.

Shippo frowned. "Yeah, don't you _want_ to get clean? Just 'cause you're a dog doesn't mean you have to hate water."  
Inuyasha frowned. "I don't hate water," he disagreed. "But I just think that…"  
"If I were you, I'd go in with Kagome." Shippo said, slapping the water, no longer looking up. "I mean, seeing as you _love_ her and all…"

Kagome shot Shippo a glance. Inuyasha opened his mouth to say something, and then shut it. Shippo, expecting a refusal from Inuyasha was gobsmacked when he started to take off his clothes.

"Stupid little cretin," Inuyasha frowned, removing his jacket and shirt. Shippo's mouth hung open as he looked from Kagome to Inuyasha then back again. _He's really admitting it…? _He wondered.

Inuyasha, in all his naked pride, scoffed, and strode to the waterfall – not looking at anyone. Kagome tried hard to suppress a giggle. Shippo just stared, confused. _They're liars… _he realised. _They didn't want me to tell Sango and Miroku 'cause they're having a shower _together_. Miroku was right. Something really _did_ happen between them…_

Inuyasha and Kagome were stood under the darts of water pelting down on them. The water was actually much deeper at the basin of the waterfall, and rose up to their bellybuttons. Shippo was in the shallow part by the bank, still splashing yet eyeing them suspiciously. For a kid, he was quite perceptive.

"Here!" Kagome shouted, calling over the explosion of the waterfall. She flung the shampoo at Inuyasha. Knowing his reflexes, and the fact that it was a huge container, she wasn't worried about it splashing in the water.

He caught it and looked at it oddly. "What's this?" he called back. The penetrating roar of their natural shower was hurting his sensitive ears. Kagome mimicked washing her hair and Inuyasha still looked at the shampoo as if it were an alien – which in all fairness, it was.

Unsure, he stepped out of the way of the water – so he was behind the waterfall – and opened the cap, squeezing the shampoo container. The liquid ran into the water. "_That's_ for my hair?" he called back in disbelief. Kagome nodded, still under the spits of water.

Inuyasha trusted Kagome and reluctantly put the shampoo bottle over his head and pressed hard. It was about the right amount when he stopped pressing and replaced the cap, holding the bottle by his side – above the water.

Kagome started laughing, but of course Inuyasha couldn't hear over the waterfall.

"Now what?" he shouted. Kagome imitated rubbing it in and he obeyed. Then he turned around, looking away from her, and didn't realise that she'd crept up behind him and started rubbing it in for him. His soapy hands dropped down.

Inuyasha smiled. He liked feeling her hands rubbing his scalp – she was giving him a massage now. He tilted his head back. A rogue drop of water splashed on his face but he ignored it, just kept his mind on what Kagome was doing.

Shippo was still watching. And he was getting grossed-out. _This is weird… _he kept thinking. It wasn't that Inuyasha and Kagome were finally together it was that Kagome and Inuyasha had been in the same place for more than five minutes without arguing and Inuyasha was not being 'sat'. And they were both naked without hating each other for it.

_But I promised them. I can't call Miroku and Sango. Unless…_Shippo paddled to the bank and leant over, pulling his discarded clothes closer towards him. He started rummaging through his pockets, until he found what he was looking for. An acorn.

Aiming it right, he threw it in the direction of the others, hoping they'd be awake by now and see his signal or at least be hit on the head by it. For now, he could only wait. Chucking his trousers away, he splashed back into the water. _Oh well. I'd better make the most of it. _At that he started splashing even more, and dived beneath the water.

Kagome and Inuyasha – pretty sure that Shippo couldn't see them if they went further beyond the waterfall – took a few steps back. The water was getting deeper and deeper, and was now up to their chests.

Inuyasha dunked his head and came back up, where upon Kagome started brushing the shampoo out of his hair with her fingers. When he was clean, he poured some shampoo on _her_ hair and massaged her head, liking the feeling of her hair between his fingers. Then she dipped beneath the water and came back up. She spurted out some water in his face and laughed.

Inuyasha frowned and grabbed her around the waist, dunking her head under the water. As soon as Kagome came back up she did the same to him. They were laughing like children and Shippo was wondering where they'd disappeared to.

"Kagome? Inuyasha?" he called. No one answered. The waterfall was just too loud. _They must have ducked out of sight. They're probably further back behind the 'fall. _Shippo ignored them. The longer he'd be slapping the water, the better.

* * *

Kagome stared at the boy before her, his white hair hanging about him like a mop, sticking up all over his head where the numerous dunkings had affected it. He was trying to blow it out of his eyes but it was useless.

Kagome leant forward and pulled the strands back in place. His bangs had disappeared now amongst his mane of hair. He looked… strange. Kagome didn't care. "Inuyasha…"

"Mm?" he replied, smiling. Now that his orange eyes weren't disguised amongst the red of his clothes he looked so pale… the white of his hair didn't help. Kagome, for an instant, thought _he_ was the one who was ill.

She waded forward so they were only inches apart. "Do you… have anything to tell me?" she asked, speaking innocently. Inuyasha could imagine her hands fiddling nervously before he saw them. Not that he was looking beneath the water…

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking about, just as nervous as she was. Kagome shrugged. "I don't know, it's just that… we haven't really talked in a while, I mean this is the first time we've done anything remotely like–" she was just about to refer to the night at her house when Inuyasha cut in.

"I know." He said, sighing. "And I wanted to, it's just with Sango and Miroku around..."  
"Mm," Kagome nodded, understanding.

_Tell her, _Inuyasha reasoned. _Tell her the truth. _He looked up, blushing. "Kagome… I do have something to tell you."  
"You do?" Kagome said, mildly surprised.

Inuyasha nodded. "Yes." He looked down again, staring past the bottom of the pool. He was looking at something even he couldn't see… their future together. "I… I love you," he told her, looking up and catching her eye.

Kagome's mouth opened and then she smiled warmly, holding one of his hands underwater. "I know that," she replied, "And I love you too."  
"But I never said…"  
"Not in words," she winked. They reached for each other and their lips met at the precise moment that their arms starting looping around one another. Kagome waded even further forward until their bodies were touching, sending shivers across their bodies and giving them goose bumps.

Inuyasha's hands travelled up and down Kagome's back, as his tongue rolled in and around her mouth, exploring. Kagome held on just as fiercely, wrapping her legs round his waist so he was, in effect, carrying her.

The kiss got deeper, and they held each other so much that they thought they'd burst… but they weren't ready to have sex like last time – not with Shippo wading in the water a few yards away. But it was too late to at least stop them making out. Neither planned to finish. Inuyasha smiled and leant back, feeling Kagome raining her kisses on his lips and neck. He knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help letting out a growl of pleasure.

Kagome tweaked his ears, massaging them along with his head while she kissed him. Inuyasha groaned happily, head falling back. And then he got a bit fierce and started kissing Kagome back once more, holding her closer and grabbing hold of her hands, trying to make them one.

_I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. _He kept thinking, over and over. And the more he thought it, the easier it became to say it. And he did. He kept repeating it against her lips, eyes shut, kissing her everywhere and anywhere.

"I love you, too." Kagome replied, voice barely above a whisper. Somehow, she loosened one of her hands from his grip and dipped it beneath the water, dropping it down past his bellybutton – down to the spot where she knew he couldn't help but groan even louder… and when she barely touched it and Inuyasha started moaning again, she was stopped.

"_What the hell's going on here?_"someone screeched from the riverbank, a male voice that sounded all too familiar. Kagome looked up immediately, pulling her hand away. Inuyasha – lids rising and falling as he tried to get a grip on reality – didn't realise what had happened.

"What the hell are you doing?" another person cried – a girl. She, too, sounded familiar. Kagome and Inuyasha had long stopped kissing and Kagome lowered her gaze, embarrassed to the point that she was about to collapse.

Inuyasha, who was now completely himself again, opened his eyes and turned to see Miroku and Sango gaping down at them, completely red with embarrassment and… and _anger_?

"And to think, Shippo was just over there!" Sango cried, furious, pointing at the spot where Shippo had been swimming. The kitsune in question was now on the other side of the bank, putting his clothes on – oblivious.

Miroku frowned, eyes dark. "I can't believe this…"  
"Oh gimme a break!" Inuyasha cried, just as furious as Sango was. "What right have you to say that, monk? Now no one can be as perverted as _you_?"

Kagome bowed her head. She didn't realise she was crying. They were yelling so much that the sound of the waterfall wasn't even in comparison. She clenched her fists.

"For ages, all you've wanted was for us to be together. And now what, huh? Now you don't want it? Well, _tough_!" Inuyasha was red with anger now. He was close to stepping out of the water and pouncing on Miroku that he was up against the bank, trying to pull himself up.

Sango's own anger seemed to have evaporated when she realised that Shippo probably didn't see or hear anything in the first place. And that Inuyasha was right. They _had_ wanted he and Kagome to be together – should they really ruin it?

But Miroku had had enough of Inuyasha talking to him like dirt. He was shaking furiously. "No! No, I'm not taking this anymore, Inuyasha! You're a _stupid_ hanyou who thinks he's better than everyone else! You don't even _care_ about Kagome!"

"That's a lie!" Inuyasha shouted, but Miroku was carrying on.  
"She's just someone you can string along until Kikyo comes trotting back! All you think about is yourself and I'm sick of it! Just run back to Kikyo and leave Kagome alone!"

"KIKYO'S DEAD!" Inuyasha screamed, tears in his eyes. Kagome, trembling, started sobbing, holding her hands up to her face.

Miroku and Sango practically stumbled backwards. Because Inuyasha and Kagome hadn't told them what had happened that day… they didn't know… it wasn't their fault.

"W-W-What?" Miroku stammered, deflating. Inuyasha didn't hear this, but he saw his face form the question and decided to answer.

"Kikyo's dead! She's dead, you moron! And you're _wrong_! I love Kagome! I love her, okay?" Inuyasha screeched. Miroku and Sango were _afraid_. Not because Inuyasha was angry but because he had tears in his eyes. They'd never _ever_ seen him so wound up – never even believed him capable of crying.

Kagome was whimpering. But Inuyasha wasn't paying attention. "Just get lost! We don't need either of you! We're better off on our own!"

Sango opened her mouth, almost pleading. _No…he can't mean that, can he? What about Kohaku? Is Inuyasha really going to just ignore the fact that we have a mission?_ She started trembling, worried about her brother. "You're selfish!" she cried.

Miroku was just as upset. _What… what about my hand? _He looked at his right palm in fear. _Without Inuyasha I don't stand a chance. And Sango won't have my children until Naraku's defeated. _Miroku clenched his fists, thinking Inuyasha to be just as cruel as Sango thought he was being. _So… there really will be no future for me and Sango. _

"That's uncalled for!" Miroku cried.  
"So what?" Inuyasha huffed. "You think I care?" he almost looked like he was enjoying himself. He was letting go of the bank, drifting backwards to his original spot.

Kagome shook her head, crying. "Stop it," she whispered – so quiet that she couldn't even hear it. "Stop it," she croaked even louder. No one paid any attention. The monk, exterminator and hanyou were still arguing. Kagome clenched her fists and drifted towards the shallower part of the waterfall – knowing that if she stood up she'd at least catch Miroku and Inuyasha's attention.

She stood up. "STOP IT!" Kagome screamed, voice hoarse. Immediately Miroku turned and stared, blinking rapidly. Sango turned, wide eyed and then slammed her eyes shut. And Inuyasha turned, catching hold of what she just said. He just looked _disgusted_… with himself.

Kagome had their undivided attention. And they were all sorry, she could feel that now. She was about to open her mouth to speak – to make up with them all, but right at that instant, a searing pain shot through Kagome like a lightning bolt. Her stomach burned and pulsed, the pain shooting higher and higher up her body. Her legs could no longer support her. Pins and needles were rushing up both of her calves.

The world was spinning. Her eyes were rolling back into her head. The water around her erupted with blood. _Is that _my_ blood? _She wondered. Three voices screamed the same thing over and over. "KAGOME!"

But Kagome couldn't hear. She couldn't hear or see anything any more. She felt so hot… and the water didn't do anything to soothe her. One minute the world was a giant blur and the next it was black.

She started tilting backwards. Then she collapsed. Right to the point where the pain couldn't hurt her anymore, and everything was silent. She briefly realised that she might be drowning, but she didn't care. Anything to make the pain go away…

The world was an abyss similar to the world she dived in when falling through the well. So, if that meant she was passing through time… did this mean she was passing through worlds? Life and death?

She hoped so. Maybe the others wouldn't argue if she were gone. Maybe they'd be sorry. And then the pain would be gone. Yes. The pain would be… _gone_…


	6. The Illness That's Good?

**Soul Stealer  
**Chapter Five – The Illness That's… Good?

_She started tilting backwards. Then she collapsed… She briefly realised that she might be drowning, but she didn't care. Anything to make the pain go away…_

_Thirty minutes earlier…_

Miroku woke up. And, to his relief, _he_ was the first to wake up. Therefore – no slap from Sango, no aching cheek. But now that he was awake, he unfortunately had to withdraw his hand from around her waist. She didn't stir.

Even though Miroku had a problem with women, there was only one girl he loved. Sango. He didn't _love_ the other girls… it was just that, along with his family's Kazaana curse, the whole 'lecher' thing followed. It wasn't his _fault_.

He sat up and looked around. The clearing seemed different in daylight… larger and more beautiful than it had last night. But something… wasn't quite right. For instance, where were Inuyasha and Kagome? On further inspection, Miroku saw that Shippo was missing too. Frowning, he wondered where they would have got to.

For a brief instant, he was worried something had happened to Kagome – but surely if her illness had taken a turn for the worst, Inuyasha would have woken them all up. Wouldn't he?

Miroku stood up, turning in a full circle to adjust to his surroundings in daylight. Bending down to pick up his staff, he went through all the possibilities of where his companions were.

_Maybe they're giving time for Sango and I to be together… _he thought happily, looking down at the girl on the floor, smiling. Sango didn't wake. What was more, Kirara started mewing. No. If that had been true, they would've taken the mononoke with them. Miroku cursed.

There were other possibilities… but he couldn't be bothered with those right now. What he cared about was finding them.

"Mm?" Sango looked up, dazed and half-asleep, but her presence made Miroku happier. At least he wasn't entirely alone anymore.

"Houshi-sama?" Sango rubbed her eyes as she sat up, yawning. "Where are the others?" she asked, looking dumbly at the spot by the tree where Kagome and Inuyasha had been.

Miroku sighed and looked through the trees trying to catch a sight of them. Nothing. "They left before I woke up. I can't tell how long they've been gone. Shippo's missing, too."

Sango looked sharply upwards, eyes boring into his. "You don't think…"

"Think what? That they were kidnapped?" he asked. Sango nodded. Miroku laughed. "I doubt it. Otherwise we would have been taken too."

"But think about it. You never know. What if… well, what if Naraku wanted to use Kagome to search for the shards again, and then took Inuyasha, too… What if Shippo got in the way – you just don't know, do you?"

Miroku calmed her with a gesture of his hands and smiled, charmingly. "I'm sure we would have woken up." He reasoned.

Kirara mewed at right that instant – particularly loud. Miroku and Sango both looked at her, and then in the direction she was turned to. There, flying through the air, was a small acorn. But not an ordinary acorn… one with _eyes_. It was crying.

Sango leapt up. "Shippo!" she cried.  
"It's a signal!" Miroku nodded.  
Sango turned to the small cat-demon on the floor. "Kirara,"

The cat mewed and dissolved in a flash of fire, before reclaiming the ground as a creature similar to a sabre-toothed tiger. Sango grabbed her boomerang and jumped on Kirara's back, as did Miroku.

Instead of Kirara's cute little 'mew', she roared and leapt up into the air, heading in the direction that the acorn presumably came from. _Please… _Miroku and Sango prayed. _Let them be safe…_

* * *

Kirara landed on a grassy verge beside a waterfall. There, splashing happily in the water was Shippo. Dismounting the demon-cat, Sango and Miroku practically ran to the kitsune, concern etched across both of their faces. But, despite his distress call, he seemed perfectly happy – like any child should be.

He looked up and smiled. "Sango! Miroku! You came!" he jeered. "Can you pass me my clothes?" he asked. Sango and Miroku a little confused, took a minute to process this information. Then Sango shook her head, smiled politely and brought them over.

"Are you okay?" Miroku asked. Shippo climbed out of the water, smiling. "Why wouldn't I be?" he asked, putting his clothes back on. Sango and Miroku shut their eyes whilst he did so.

"Oh," Shippo asked, finally understanding. He left his shirt on the ground and looked up at them. He pulled on Miroku's robe. Miroku's eyes snapped open. "You mean – why the signal, huh?"

Sango's eyes opened slowly. When she saw he was decent, she smiled. Miroku nodded at Shippo. The young fox-demon sighed and shook out his fiery red hair, spraying Sango and Miroku with water.  
"Well, Inuyasha and Kagome made me promise not to tell you this so don't say anything to them…"

"We won't," Sango and Miroku replied simultaneously, whilst they both had their fingers crossed behind their backs. Shippo toed at the floor, looking a bit upset.

"Well… when I woke up they were going away somewhere. They told me they were going to have a shower and asked me if I would come, so I said yes. Then, when we got here, I said that Inuyasha loved Kagome, and he didn't reply."

Sango and Miroku looked confused. "And…?"  
"And he actually went _in_ with her. You know. Both of them. _Together_." Shippo whined.  
Sango and Miroku looked at each other, mouths open. _That's it?_

Shippo sighed. "They were _both_ naked,"  
"I _knew_ it!" Miroku exclaimed, punching the air. "I told you, Sango, something's happened between those two. They've been lying through their teeth for months! But they couldn't hide it from me." He added, proud.  
Sango looked at him through heavy-lidded eyes.

Shippo was making 'quieten down' motions with his hands. "Shh. They'll hear you. They're only behind the water."

"Behind the waterfall?" Sango looked up at the wall of water churning out from atop the pillar of stone towering above them. She tried to see through – to look at her friends on the other side, yet she could see nothing except shadows. If they'd been standing just aside the water, then she'd definitely be able to see them… yet they must have been standing in the deep part – almost next to the rock.

"Hmm," she wondered. "Shippo, go and finish getting changed over there." She said to the boy, pointing at a spot by the bank, furthest away from the waterfall. It wasn't far from where they were standing now. Shippo nodded, bundled up his shirt and hopped over to the spot Sango had appointed. Kirara, now in her kitten form, followed him too.

"Houshi-sama, you can come with me."  
Miroku smiled devilishly. "Where to, Sango?"  
Sango started walking, directing Miroku to do so too. He followed her. Sango looked out over the reflective surface of the water and sighed. "To Inuyasha and Kagome."

Miroku hung back, stopping, mouth open. A blush crept up across his nose and down either side of his face. Sango turned. She swore that one of his eyelids was twitching. "What's so wrong with that?" she asked, frowning.

Miroku looked apologetic. "N-Nothing, it's just that… don't you think they'd want to be _alone_?"  
Sango shook her head. "Don't be stupid, Houshi-sama. Just because they're together…"  
"And nude…" Miroku added.  
"… Doesn't mean anything." Sango finished.

Unfortunately for Sango – it did. The wall of water disappeared to a thin trickle when they were opposite it. And then when they were beyond it… where the water shot further out from the rock and the world behind the water could be seen… the pair saw Inuyasha and Kagome.

Except they weren't doing anything like what they'd imagined. It was only the perverted part of Miroku's mind that said 'I knew it. I knew it. I _knew_ it!' Because not only were Kagome and Inuyasha kissing rather fiercely… they were holding each other so close and so tenderly that it made Sango numb.

Miroku suddenly wasn't happy for his friends. He was _mad_. Furious, even. No way was Inuyasha going to get laid before him!

"_What the hell's going on here?_" Miroku cried in absolute horror, gawping at his friends as they canoodled with each other – Kagome's hand beneath the water doing things he didn't even want to know about.

Sango started up too. "What the hell are you doing?" she screeched in exactly the same tone as Miroku. _Sango…? You feel the same as I do? Just because they stole our moment from us? _Miroku wondered, ballooning up with happiness. He knew he was wrong when he heard her getting defensive about Shippo. Sango was concerned about the young fox being so close and being mentally scarred for life. Miroku felt dismayed. _It was too good to be true._

As for what happened next… it was interesting. Miroku watched it all with envy, rage and sadness. Perhaps even disbelief at some points. In fact, he'd never had a fight with Inuyasha quite like it. No fists. No kicks. Just words. And those words stung worse than any wounds could.

Miroku didn't actually think that they would all still be talking afterwards, but he was wrong. Again. Because Kagome changed all that. It's funny how, even when they were all arguing, the one person who stuck them together – the glue of the group – didn't say a word. And when she finally _did_ spoke, they all listened, and all felt sorry.

Miroku's heart stopped beating when Kagome collapsed. He thought… he thought that she was dead. Sango obviously did too, because she ran to the waters edge, screaming her friend's name. Inuyasha waded towards her as fast as the water would allow, breathing short and fast, chin wobbling – lips trembling. He wasn't crying… but he was repeating the word 'no' over and over again as if he couldn't believe it.

The hanyou didn't seem to care that the water around Kagome was riddled with blood. Instead he scooped her up before her head fell below water, and carried her out. And for once, Miroku didn't care that he was seeing a naked girl. He only cared about her welfare.

Sango immediately said, "I'll get your clothes," and ran over to where they were, trembling. Miroku dropped his staff and sat down beside Inuyasha – now lying next to Kagome on the bank, studying her.

"She's alive," Inuyasha said under his breath – talking to himself rather than the monk next to him. "Thank God… thank God she's alive…"  
Miroku didn't look at Inuyasha in distaste in hearing him mention God instead of Buddha. In fact, religion was thrown completely out of mind.

"Is she breathing?" he asked the half demon. Inuyasha nodded. Miroku didn't even notice that his friend was naked, not until Sango shut her eyes and blushed furiously as she draped Inuyasha's jacket over his shoulders, and then covered Kagome with her school blouse and skirt.

Sango was crying – unusual for her, but these kind of circumstances dragged it out of her. Inuyasha picked up his trousers from the spot where Sango had dropped them by his side, and started putting them on.

When he was finished, he draped his jacket over Kagome – throwing her own clothes aside. Sango didn't even blink. Inuyasha's jacket was far more suitable to cover her than a skirt and top that she wasn't even wearing.

Inuyasha tucked it in around Kagome, head bowed. His eyes were dark. "That blood…" he said, pondering it over.  
Sango looked a little distressed. "Perhaps Kagome is bleeding at this time of month?" she said, timidly. Inuyasha shook his head.  
"No. Not it. That was far too much blood to be it, surely. And besides, she had that last week – I could smell it."

Miroku creased up his face in disgust. Inuyasha gave him a quick look. "I mean, she smelt different – she didn't _smell_, she was just… _different_. And she was a bit grumpy too."  
"Yes. Kagome was a bit snappy now that I think back," Sango agreed, staring at her friend on the floor.

Kagome's mouth was a flat line – completely expressionless. Her eyes were firmly shut and she was ghostly pale… like a corpse. The black hair plastered to her forehead made her look so young… so _ill_…

"What could it be?" Miroku sighed, looking out over the water. Then he jumped as he felt something scuffle next to him.  
Miroku looked down. Shippo was there, patting Kagome's hand.

"What's wrong with Kagome?" he cried, voice sickly sweet and thick with concern. "Jeez, her hands are hot!" he leapt back at the slightest touch, slightly exaggerating.

Sango felt Kagome's forehead. "She has a fever," she said, sadly. "I blame that stupid lake trip of ours. Maybe she has pneumonia."  
"No," Inuyasha disagreed with Sango again. "She had those stomach pains before that."  
"And you think that these symptoms are connected?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha nodded. "I think…" he began, and then stopped, his whole body freezing. What he had been going to say wasn't what he now thought it was. _No… no, that can't be… _

His throat became dry. His ears perked up, standing on end as if there were danger. His pupils were microscopic. _No. No. No. No. No! _

"What do you think it is?" Sango asked, looking up at Inuyasha. Miroku looked to, their previous arguments completely forgotten. All that mattered was Kagome. They had to be prepared… for whatever Inuyasha thought it was.

_But she's still bleeding, she can't be–_

"Inuyasha!" Shippo cried, tugging on his hand. "Answer Sango! What do you think is wrong with Kagome?"  
Inuyasha had no intention of telling them what he really thought was wrong. Or rather, not was wrong… what was _right_. _Then, if it's true, I'm going to be a– _

"Keh!" Inuyasha turned away. "I'm not a doctor. You can't expect me to know these things." Sango and Miroku deflated.  
"What now?" Miroku asked, talking to thin air.

Inuyasha scoffed. He picked up Tetsusaiga, which had been discarded with his clothes earlier (a stupid idea – he should've learned after Jaken had tried stealing it). He put on his white tunic and took on the role of leader again. Now Kagome was no longer with them – or rather, now she was no longer conscious – Inuyasha could be as rude and as commanding as he had before he'd asked her to be his future fiancé.

"Well, what happens now, is that we take her to Kaede where she can be treated and we can follow up some Shikon shard rumours. Is that okay with you?" he asked, looking around at the others.

Miroku and Sango nodded. Shippo did too. Kirara appeared out of nowhere and mewed brightly.

"First, we go back to where we were staying last night and collect our stuff. Then we can head back to Musashi's domain." Inuyasha stood up to his full height, then shook out his wet hair – careful that the water droplets didn't go over his companions. "And I'll carry Kagome, if you don't mind." There was no answer to this. Inuyasha spoke in a tone that meant he was _getting_ what he wanted – end of story.

Bending down, he picked up Kagome. "I'll see you there," he said absently over his shoulder. "Shippo, you can come with me."  
Shippo leapt onto Inuyasha's shoulder, his mouth a perfect line as he looked from Kagome to Inuyasha, twiddling his thumbs. Miroku and Sango made their way over to Kirara, and then all was a blur and the world rushed by.

Shippo sighed. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha." he said, as the half-demon started running towards camp.

Shippo took one last look at the waterfall. Miroku and Sango were clambering onto Kirara's back now that she was back in her true form. He turned back, sighing. Trees closed around them. The world became dark green and brown – nothing but endless undergrowth, canopies and tree trunks.

Inuyasha frowned. "Why, Shippo? What did you do this time?"

Shippo bit his bottom lip. "I… I was the one who called Miroku and Sango." he said. Inuyasha's breath stopped, but he continued to run. Turning to look into the fox-demon's face, he could see Shippo regretted it. He could also see that he was afraid, screwing up his face as he waited for the blows to come.

Inuyasha took a deep breath. He could go back to his normal self and give Shippo a couple of thumps on the head, but he needed all the friends he could get at the moment. Kagome had changed him. And he knew that if she were awake and if she caught sight of him yelling at Shippo, she'd sit him.

Inuyasha smiled and shook his head. "It's okay, Ship." He said. "Besides, how would we have coped if Kagome had collapsed without them around?"  
Shippo opened his eyes slowly, still anticipating an attack. "Huh?" he mumbled. "Y-You really don't care?" he asked.

Inuyasha smiled sadly, looking down at Kagome. Remembering something she used to say a lot, he repeated it to Shippo. "Somehow… it doesn't bother me at all."

_Damn you, Kagome. _Inuyasha thought, feeling his insides knot up and his heart pound. _Wake up… and tell me that it's not true. That we're not–_

"Inuyasha," Shippo said quietly. "Thanks,"  
Inuyasha had the sudden impression that Shippo was going to hug him, and he did. Shippo clambered up to the side of his neck and hugged his cheek _hard_. "I like the new you," he said. "Stay like this forever."

Inuyasha sighed. "Forever's a long time, squirt." He replied, spying the campsite in the distance. Mentally he added: _And Kagome won't live forever. Unlike us demons… _

Shippo stared at Inuyasha's pained face. _That's why I must become a human, _Inuyasha thought, quickening his pace. _So I can be with Kagome… always. _He sighed as he halted in the centre of the clearing they'd conquered last night.

Putting Kagome down on the grass, besides her pack, he frowned. Sango and Miroku had got there before him. That was because he'd been too busy talking to Shippo. But that didn't matter. He handed Shippo over to the other two, who were waiting nervously at the borders of the clearing.

"I'll take Kagome and her pack," Inuyasha said, "You go on ahead and warn Kaede."  
"Are you sure, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, taking Shippo from him. Inuyasha nodded, hanging the pack over one shoulder. He bent down to pick up Kagome. "You go. I'll be along later. I don't know how long it will take me with Kagome in tow. She's a deadweight now she's out cold." But he wasn't complaining. He held her in both arms like a child, raising her head so it was close to his.

Miroku and Sango left with Shippo and Kirara, leaving Inuyasha alone with only his thoughts and his unconscious girlfriend. Sighing, he started trudging towards Kaede's village.

_I wonder if I'm right. _He wondered. _I mean, what if this illness isn't really an illness? What if it's good for Kagome? For Kagome and me? _Inuyasha, to get rid of his suspicions, gave Kagome's abdomen a quick glance.

_Is it…? _No. It wasn't _quite_ flat. But it wasn't ballooning either, 'cause he would've noticed earlier if it was. It was just… well, only a _tiny_ bit above average (which was weird since they hadn't eaten for two days). _But it's been five months… surely it would be noticeable after five months…_But then Inuyasha didn't know. Would it _really_ take nine months?

_She's still bleeding… her stomach's practically flat… and she doesn't have any weird cravings. She can't be._ Inuyasha smiled, walking faster.

Out loud, he started laughing. "How could I ever have thought that Kagome was pregnant anyway?" But now that he'd said it, it seemed even more real. Just like the word 'love' had.

_Pregnant. What if she's… pregnant?_


	7. The Soul Stealer

**Soul Stealer  
**Chapter Six – The Soul Stealer

**Note: Kaja is pronounced 'Kay-uh'**

_"How could I ever have thought that Kagome was pregnant anyway?" But now that he'd said it, it seemed even more real._ Pregnant. What if she's… pregnant?

"_Humph_," Callisto looked up at the dark sky above. Another day, another town destroyed and another couple of hundred jars filled. The containers swung faintly at her horse's side. Callisto straightened up.  
The moon was the brightest she'd seen it in a while. There was a silver sheen to it, ghostly and fading into nothing. It was full, and the sight of it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

"Kaja, we'll be leaving for Musashi's domain soon." She said briefly over her shoulder, her dark hair fluttering loosely in the wind. Kaja whinnied and raised her head, staring at her owner with large brown eyes. She then shook out her mane and the soul-jars rattled dangerously.

Callisto turned sharply. "Easy girl, you don't want to harm the merchandise,"  
Her fiery gaze travelled over the hundreds of glass containers resting in satchels attached to her companion. She scowled.  
"Not a single bad soul among them. Pity," she turned back to look at the sky. "Bad souls are worth more. Right, Kaja?"

The horse whinnied again. Callisto smiled hungrily, her garnet-coloured eyes shifting.  
"_Yes-s_… We'll try and swindle these to the puppeteers in the mountains. They're a bunch of demons I know who can't _resist_ human souls,"

The moon ducked behind a stream of clouds – out of sight. Callisto's eyes narrowed and she clenched her fists. "How many jars more do you think you can take, Kaja?" she asked the horse without turning. She didn't expect an answer. She was calculating in her head. _Well… room for a town more,_ she thought.

She grinned menacingly. "There's a priestess over in Musashi's domain. She deserves _something,_ I can tell ya," Callisto looked down at the star-shaped scar on the back of her right hand. She scowled in recollection. "Her name was Kaede…"

The memories engulfed her. Bit by bit.  
Back then, Callisto had been a maiden. Granted, she was a _demon_ maiden and every boy in the village who fell in love with her soon ended up screaming: "Flee from the devil-woman!"  
_Good_ times…

But Kaede came along and put a stop to all that. She lived in the sister village, across the river and on the other side of the domain. She'd come to rid the town of the said 'devil-woman'. Callisto had only been one hundred at the time. She had a whole _life_ to live yet!

In appearance Callisto was only nineteen. She still seemed nineteen now. Her skin was the colour of cappuccino, her eyes were as red as lasers and just as unforgiving. Her ebony hair was wispy and loose – long and flowing down to her waist. She was beautiful, she always had been.

And her scar had only appeared after Kaede had kicked her out of the village. Only then, only after the human woman had arrived to 'vanquish' her, was the mark cast on her for life.

Callisto rubbed the back of her hand softly. It hurt. Even now.  
Kaede had been in her early thirties at the time but Callisto guessed that by now she'd be a withering old woman. She smirked dangerously.

_Hmm… Now where is her village again?_  
Kaja nudged her back softly, nestling her nose in with Callisto's ribboned armour. Callisto turned, then glared at the distance – where she knew Musashi's domain rested. Her eyes were a pair of flames dancing in the moonlight.  
"Come on, Kaja. We have some souls to steal,"

* * *

"This is not good… not good at all," Kaede muttered, bustling about her hut. Miroku looked up, dazed. He was so tired. Even after all his rest, he felt the dizzying need to sleep fall over him. Sango was more than sympathetic. She rested her head lightly on his shoulder, yawning.

Besides Kaede, Shippo was the only one moving. He was sitting in front of the fire and at infrequent moments would move his hands to catch the warmth, then rub them together and blow on them.  
He didn't look at all sleepy.

Kaede was grabbing all manner of things. Herbs, little glass vials, baskets, water, powders – anything she knew that would aid the girl lying stiff on the floor.  
_She_ was still unconscious. And every now and then, someone would look at her and sigh. Sigh painfully. They all wondered whether she would wake up.

Kaede sat down eventually at Kagome's side. She raised the girl's left hand in the air and patted it softly. She was upset; everyone could see it in her eyes. But not as upset as the boy opposite, who tried very hard to conceal it.

"Is she alright?" Inuyasha asked, sitting back on the balls of his feet – watching Kagome intently. Kaede looked bewildered for an instant, then slowly shook her head.  
"I have no clue as to what is wrong with her," she sighed, dropping Kagome's hand. It hit the floor with a _thump_.

Inuyasha flinched. He gazed down at Kagome's face. Her brows were furrowed; her eyes were clamped tightly shut and shifting from time to time – as if she were having a nightmare. Her lips would sometimes part, revealing gritted teeth. At that time, her eyebrows would arch and she'd look like she was in terrible pain.

All Inuyasha's ideas about her being pregnant were gone. If she were, she wouldn't have to endure this pain. He couldn't stand seeing her like this. He could feel the heat coming off of her as it was, he could see the beads of sweat hovering on her forehead and he could also see how flushed her face was at the temples – yet ghostly pale along her cheeks.

Inuyasha slammed his fist against the floor. Miroku leapt up in surprise – awake. Inuyasha started growling slowly under his breath. The noise was a churning sound that was slowly growing louder and erupting. "Why. Won't. She. Wake. _Up_?" he asked, his tone deadly. He sounded patient. He was quite the opposite at that moment.

Kaede shook her head – lost. "Inuyasha, don't fret. She's come out of worse things than this."  
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, angrily. "You don't know the _first_ thing about what's wrong with her, and you're telling me to calm down?"

"I didn't say calm down. I said don't worry." Kaede pointed out.  
Sango sighed. "It's the same thing," she said vaguely. "Inuyasha gets angry when he's worried."

"I do not!" Inuyasha cried, standing up. "What makes you think I'm worried? Kagome's just… just putting this on!"  
Miroku snorted. "Don't even try it, Inuyasha. We saw what you were doing and you can't talk yourself out of it. You even _said_, damn it, that you were with Kagome now. So, _don't_…"

Inuyasha froze. _Damn, the monk's right. _He looked down at his feet and scowled. Then he shrugged. "Okay. Fine. I'm worried. You got a problem with that?"  
Miroku looked away. "It's okay with me,"

Kaede was eyeing the half-demon up and down. Then she let out a breath, smiling slightly. "I see…"  
Inuyasha didn't like the way she said it. He frowned. "Kaede," he began. "There's gotta be something you can d–"

There was a crash and footsteps pounding across hard wood flooring. A villager ran into Kaede's hut, panting. "Lady Kaede, word's spreading across the river! The Soul Stealer is coming this way!"

Kaede's eyes widened. She stood up, looking very old all of a sudden. "_What_?"  
The villager looked terrified, his eyes were practically rolling in his head. "She's already killed the guards at the outposts! _She's heading this way_!" he repeated.

Kaede tensed up. Her shoulders sagged. Then, slowly, she turned away. "How many people are in the village?" she asked the man.  
The newcomer seemed to recover slightly at this. He took in a few deep breaths. "Eighty – if you count the farming families along the horizon,"

Kaede sighed. Miroku and Sango looked at each other, bewildered. Inuyasha stared down at Kagome – apparently not listening to this conversation. Shippo's face was white and he was trembling. _S-Soul Stealer…? _He thought.  
The villager opened his mouth, then began timidly, "Uh… Lady Kaede?"

"Evacuate the village," she told the man. "I'll stay and do my duty."  
The villager nodded and ran off, yelling warnings at the top of his lungs.  
Kaede frowned. "Miroku. Sango."  
The two looked up immediately. Kaede looked stern. "I want you to take Shippo and supervise the villagers as they leave – understand?"

The two gawped like fish for an instant, gibbering replies, when Shippo stood up and shook his head – tears in his eyes.  
"_No_," he said sharply. Kaede immediately glared at him.  
She looked adamant. "Shippo, I'm not arguing. If you know what's good for you, little Kitsune, then go."

"I _won't_!" Shippo demanded, stomping his foot. Inuyasha looked up at the small fox-demon in wonder.  
Shippo was carrying on. "You all know my mummy died before my papa – but you don't know how! Well I'll tell you! She had her soul sucked out of her and she died in my papa's arms! The woman who killed her was the Soul Stealer: Callisto! And I want vengeance!"

"Just like you got vengeance for your father?" Inuyasha mocked, an eyebrow raised.  
Shippo clenched his fists. "My mummy would still _be_ here if it wasn't for that… that…"

"_Shippo_!" Kaede snapped. "This is not up for deliberation. You are leaving, understand? Besides…" she stopped, then composed herself. "You have to take care of Kagome. She's the closest thing to a mother you have left, and you have to ensure she gets away safely."

The fox-demon's mouth fell open. His green eyes grew huge. And then his strength – the fight that kept him going – washed out of him. In a matter of seconds he crumpled like a puppet without strings. He looked at the floor. "Yes, ma'am."

Kaede nodded in agreement.  
"_Keh_!"  
She turned to meet cold amber eyes. "What is it, Inuyasha?"  
The half-demon sniffed. "Well, it's just that you haven't mentioned me in a while. Am I meant to help defend this town with you, or what?"

Kaede nodded gravely.  
Inuyasha smiled devilishly. He tossed his hair over his shoulder. "And you didn't even _ask_ me?"  
Kaede sighed. "I'd have thought a prospect of a battle would be enough for you."

Inuyasha blinked, then his grin grew wider. "Kaede?"  
"Yes?"  
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed suddenly. His expression grew stormy – his eyes dark. "How about 'no'?"

Kaede shook her head. "Inuyasha…"  
"Forget this, hag. I'm leaving. And Kagome's coming with me," He bent down, picked Kagome up and slung her over his shoulder. Then he looked over at his other friends. He nodded in their direction. "_They_ are, too. Come on, guys, this isn't our fight."

Shippo looked up. He sniffed, withholding the new tears that threatened to fall. "Isn't it?" he asked.  
Inuyasha's body stiffened.  
Sango shut her eyes and took a few deep breaths. Miroku slowly nodded. "Shippo's right, Inuyasha. We can't just walk away."

"Call it what you want, monk." Inuyasha spoke more harshly than he meant too. "You can stay, but I'm leaving,"

With that, he burst out into the moonlight. It had been dark for a while now – it had taken him a long time to get back to Kaede's hut, longer than he'd imagined. At first it was hard for his demon eyes to adjust but soon Inuyasha realised that the village around him was empty.

Had tumbleweed been blowing it would have looked like a perfect ghost town. The wind whistled bitterly in the trees, the creek of wood rung out as the huts took a battering from the elements, owls hooted and softly – in the distance – came the padding of feet and the reverberating sound of horse's hooves.

Inuyasha stiffened. "No…"  
They'd spent so much time arguing… they hadn't even thought how near the threat was.  
She was here. Now. In the village. Making her way slowly through.  
Callisto.  
The Soul Stealer.

"_Come out, come out, wherever you are…" _


	8. Nowhere To Run

**Soul Stealer  
**Chapter Seven – Nowhere To Run

_She was here. Now. In the village… Callisto… The Soul Stealer._

Inuyasha fell back a step. His mouth was open in horror and… and fear. Not for himself but for his friends.  
He'd heard the legend of the Soul Stealer. She had once been engaged to the eldest Thunder Brother: Hiten.

She dressed like him – almost exactly. Yet her robes were more elegant – yes, they were the same colour and style but she wore them so much better. She and Hiten could've had passed for twins instead of betrotheds. But that had been when Callisto was much, much younger. When she had barely passed the century-old mark.

Callisto had turned bitter ever since her engagement to Hiten turned nasty. They were too alike to be a good couple. But worst yet, she hadn't stop loving him. She hadn't hated the way he used to run off with other women – not because he ate them afterwards but because deep down she knew he loved her, too.

That soon came to a halt. Who knew the real reason why? They drifted apart, but Callisto would never forget the only man she ever loved.  
She had reason to be evil, if ever anyone had reason to. She was evil because love had made her that way.

She also was grieving. When you put evil and grieving together, you don't have a good combination. Hiten was killed almost a year ago now, but she'd never forget it. Never forget the name of the person who murdered her ex-fiancé. The murderer's name was Inuyasha.

But of course the half-demon didn't know that. Inuyasha was standing there and not thinking about Callisto's love life, he was thinking about her crimes. Or rather, her massacres.  
Wiping out entire towns. Sucking souls from unsuspecting humans. Bottling them and selling them onto demons that would pay anything to have a pretty ornament – or a little something to stare at.

Inuyasha started walking backwards.  
Callisto was blessed with the power to steal. And instead of taking things like money and livestock and jewellery – she ended lives and stole souls. With one whip of her tentacle she could kill you. Just. Like. That. _SNAP_!

And you'd be dead.  
Inuyasha kept walking on backwards, gripping onto Kagome tightly.  
Callisto's footsteps were closer.

In appearance, Callisto didn't have any slithery appendages like tentacles. It was something… something in her mind. An invisible weapon that she could control – only visible when it had found its prey.  
Inuyasha gulped, the first time – he believed – that he'd ever done so.

It wasn't just himself in danger, it was Kagome. And she was still unconscious – an easy target.  
"I know you're out here, Kaede… Come and face me like you did once. All those years ago…" Callisto cooed in the distance.  
Kaede? What does she want with Kaede? Inuyasha was back in the hut now, the flap that was the door swung loosely in its place.

Miroku and Sango were pressed, defensively, against the wall – their backs to it. Shippo was digging his head in the crook of Miroku's elbow, whimpering.  
But Kaede… she looked tired. Ready to give up.  
They'd all heard Callisto approaching.

Inuyasha put Kagome down on her mat. She was fully clothed now, unlike earlier. Sango and Kaede had dressed her when she'd arrived. She landed softly on the fur pelt of some unknown benefactor. Her face creased up – then she calmed.

Inuyasha crouched in a fighting stance. He was fully alert, fully tuned to the steps of the doomsday girl walking around outside. Her voice had sounded so certain. So commanding.

Kaede sighed. "I must meet with her," she whispered. "I must – otherwise she'll think low of me."  
"Keh, what do you care?" Inuyasha muttered back, under his breath. His voice was barely audible. "Let her go on past. Otherwise she'll see where you came out and try and get in here – she'll know you're hiding something…"

"No. She only wants me," Kaede reasoned, holding out her hands. "Better to be one soul lost than six," she stared heavily at the others.  
Inuyasha growled. "Don't be stupid, hag. I won't let you throw your life away." Even though he understood why she should sacrifice herself. He understood because most of the time he wondered whether he would have to do such a thing himself.  
Kaede smiled.

Miroku and Sango exchanged empty glances – unsure what to do. Shippo was stammering, his voice muffled.  
Inuyasha glared hard at Kaede. "I won't let you go out there, Kaede – you'll lead her back here and then she'll just finish us all off. What would she want with you anyway?"

Kaede smiled sadly. "I gave her the scar on the back of her right hand."  
Inuyasha blinked furiously. "And?"  
Kaede shook her head, pitifully. "It's not the most beautiful scar in the world. It's right deep and… well, ugly."

Sango's eyes widened. "So…?"  
Kaede looked up. "Callisto thought she was so beautiful. I had to do something to pay her back for wrecking all those poor men's lives. She used to bewitch them and they'd love her till the day they died, wondering why they would never be good enough for her. Some would even do the job themselves…"

"They'd kill themselves? Because they loved her?" Miroku breathed. He was liking the sound of this Callisto more and more. Sango somehow managed to understand what he was thinking. She elbowed him in the ribs – hard. Miroku let out a gasp of air in pain and clutched his side. "Ow…" he muttered, winded.

Kaede sighed. "Like I said. Callisto thought she was perfect. I had to do something… so I gave her that scar. She hates it almost as much as she hates me,"  
Inuyasha frowned. "I heard she was going after the Shikon Jewel – is that why? To get rid of her scar, I mean?"

Kaede laughed. "Possibly. And maybe so she can get enough power to revive the Thunder Brother she used to love."  
Kaede looked down at the floor. "Seems a bit pointless, doesn't it? Going after something with such power because you want to be perfect." She looked up at Inuyasha and held his gaze. She wasn't just talking about Callisto…

The half-demon's mouth dropped open. Kaede was continuing, her eyes trying to make him understand. "Nobody's perfect. And nobody should change what they are. Callisto is beautiful, yet the scar blinds her to that. It drives her insane. If she caught hold of the Shikon Jewel, then she wouldn't be beautiful. She'd be…"

"The ugliest creature who ever lived," Inuyasha breathed. "Not in appearance, but in personality."  
Kaede nodded gravely. Their eyes were still locked. "And…" she breathed. "So would you, should you use the Shikon Jewel for your original purpose,"

Inuyasha opened his mouth. "Kaede, no... I've decided to–"  
"_KAEDE_!"  
Everyone in the hut crouched down low, fearful. Inuyasha stared at the old human, watchful. She had tremors coursing through her body. She looked afraid.

Callisto was in the town-square – right outside Kaede's hut. "Come out and face me now, you old crone!"  
Kaede screwed up her face in detest and straightened up. She glanced at Inuyasha and smiled sadly. "Remember, Inuyasha. The Shikon Jewel severs true beauty for those who want it for power. Those who use it for acceptance… can find enlightenment,"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha asked.  
Miroku and Sango sighed, impatiently. Kaede laughed, then winked. "It means that if you wish to use the jewel to become human… you will finally be accepted at last. And you'll be happy,"

"How do you know?" Inuyasha asked, disbelieving.  
Kaede motioned at Kagome on the floor. "Because you'll be with her."  
Inuyasha looked down at Kagome. His expression wavered. He looked sad for a moment, and then looked back up at Kaede. Don't go… he prayed, eyes searching for any doubt in Kaede's. Any fear.

There was none. She seemed proud. A martyr.  
Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment the hut was ripped apart by a gigantic explosion. The world was thrown into darkness.

* * *

Coughing. No feeling in his legs. Screaming, reaching out… Pushing upwards. And then the heavy piece of ceiling was off Inuyasha's back and he could breathe again. The world was a screaming mess of chaos and distant crying.

Inuyasha looked up. There was no hut. The walls had caved inwards like a collapsed tower of cards. Dust was being kicked up into his mouth and Inuyasha found it hard to speak – his throat was knotting up.  
"…_Guys_?" he croaked. No answer.

"Agh…!" he jerked himself out from under a pile of rubble and looked around him. There, in the corner of what had been the room, where the crying was coming from, was…  
"Kagome!" Inuyasha tried to sit up. He couldn't manage. His legs simply wouldn't move.

There was another figure next to Kagome. The person were propped up against the wall – out cold. No. Not out cold. The person wasn't breathing… wasn't moving. Kaede.  
Inuyasha opened his mouth to holler, but he couldn't. He couldn't find the words to speak.

But who was crying? Who was the one crying? It was coming from over by Kagome… but Kagome was still knocked out, right? Right? Wrong.  
The bitter sound of sobbing was coming from the dark-haired girl, and now that Inuyasha watched he could see the lurch of her chest as each whine escaped her throat.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha cried, hoarsely. But no sound was coming out. No sound had been coming out from the beginning. He was simply mouthing the words, a mute.  
Inuyasha's eyes focused on a figure standing in the town-square. Miroku. Miroku was alive – thank God.  
He was in a defensive stance, his staff held out in front of him.  
Sango was at his side.

She was holding her boomerang in front of her – the full length of her body – and was using it as a shield.  
Callisto was playing with them.  
Kaede had been right, she was beautiful – but, Inuyasha thought, not as beautiful as Kagome. Callisto's oily black hair shone in the moonlight like obsidian, ruby-red eyes flickering with enjoyment and pleasure. Her lips were curved in a malicious grin and her coffee-coloured skin looked warm and alive compared to the pale faces of her enemies.

Inuyasha realised why his legs wouldn't pry free from paralysis. They were trapped under a wall that had collapsed on top of them. He cursed and tried to pull himself forward. One leg shifted. But only slightly. He cursed again.

Callisto wasn't fighting Miroku and Sango with her full power. Instead she was crouching with a samurai sword (which curved slightly at the tip) held out before her. She seemed to be enjoying every second that went by. She licked her lips hungrily.

Miroku shifted uncomfortably. She was too… too gorgeous to actually kill. It was too hard for him to believe that someone so beautiful would kill so many people. But, that was just Miroku's way. Sango was glaring at him with heavy eyes and he knew what had to be done.

Inuyasha pushed forward. His other leg pried loose a little further. Again he tugged and again he felt the weight slowly give. And then he was free. The feeling of full body control rushed back to him. He was filled with this strength that he'd never felt before – almost as if he were on a high.

And all he knew was that he had to protect Kagome. Had to get her out. And where the hell is Shippo? Where is he? Inuyasha cast a futile glance around what was left of the building. Nothing. The little fox-demon was nowhere to be seen.  
Inuyasha felt his insides churn and his heart beat slowly in pain, but he didn't have anytime to waste.

Kagome was sitting up. Any minute, Callisto would see her. She was not that far away. Even now, Callisto's head was turning to look behind her two opponents – trying to see the person who was moving.

Inuyasha crawled along the floor on his stomach like a centipede, ignoring the rubble that threatened to shred his belly to pieces. His mind and body were tuned in to watching Callisto, but his heart was set on getting to Kagome. And he was getting there all right…

There was a throb in Kagome's chest as she sat up. Her heart was pounding and the wetness spilling out of her eyes was making her blind. But then she saw it… the boy slithering towards her slowly – looking worried, happy, angry and alert all at the same time.

"Inuyasha?" she whimpered, but he held up a finger to his lips as she opened her mouth. Kagome shut up.  
She looked around. _What happened? Where am I? _She began thinking these questions only now, when it was apparent that Kaede was dead and she could do nothing about.

It was only now that she'd remembered that the last place she had been standing was hip-deep in a waterfall. Now she was in Kaede's hut – with the walls apparently blown out by some imaginable force, and her friends were dispersed.

Inuyasha reached her legs and tugged her softly down. Kagome followed suit and fell to the floor, her back to the ground.  
Inuyasha clambered on top of her – inspecting her. "Are you all right? Are you numb anywhere? Does anything feel broken? Have your stomach pains gone? When did you wake up? Where's Shippo?" All these questions he fired at her in one quick gasp of air.

Kagome felt like she was drowning all over again. Then she shook her head wordlessly. She took to answering the last question. "Shippo woke me up somehow. Then just scampered off. I think… I think… Miroku was yelling something at the time. Maybe he told him to run away."

"And you? Kagome, did anything hit you – are you all right?" Inuyasha demanded, his voice barely steady.  
Kagome smiled slightly. "I'm… _fine_." She replied. Inuyasha's eyes roamed over her. Kagome's hair was mussed at the top where she'd been lying down and the strands of her fringe were stuck with sweat to her forehead.

Her brown eyes were droopy and tired – but she didn't look like she was in pain. She was covered in dust and there was some dirt on one side of her cheek – scratches lined her bare arms and legs but she didn't look badly hurt.  
When Inuyasha decided that 'fine' just about covered how she was, he sighed and hugged onto her, tightly. "Thank God,"  
Kagome smiled limply. She brushed her fingers through his long, white hair – not once hitting a tangle. A house falling down on top of him wasn't enough for his hair to get wrecked.

Inuyasha sat back up. His amber eyes bored into hers. "I'm glad you're safe," he whispered.  
Kagome nodded. "Mm,"  
Inuyasha bent down and kissed her fiercely on the lips, then pulled away. "We have to get out of here,"

Kagome opened her mouth to speak, her lips wobbling. "But the others…"  
Inuyasha snarled. "They're distracting Callisto to get us out! Come _on_!" he grabbed her hand and sat up in a crouch, tumbling off of Kagome and making his way out of the destruction.

Kagome, still latched onto his hand, didn't move. Inuyasha didn't force her to either. He stopped and sent a pleading look over his shoulder. "Kagome…"  
She looked sad. Her eyes were still wet. "No, Inuyasha. I… I can't move. I really can't. I _feel_ fine, but…You go on, I've just gotta face it. There's no escape for me. I'm too weak…"

She let go of his hand and sighed, looking up at the dark sky. The stars were out. The night was a beautiful one.  
Inuyasha felt his throat tie up. He tried to clear it, to cough, but he couldn't. Kagome looked sad in a happy way. A tear rolled out of her eye and made its way down her cheek.

She smiled. "Look. There's the Big Dipper,"  
And, strangely, Inuyasha did look. He saw the constellation of stars she was pointing at. He smiled too.  
Kagome laughed. "And there's the Plough."  
She let out a sigh.  
Inuyasha went over to her and lay down beside her.

They stared at each other then, for a long time. And slowly, Kagome grinned. "I'm not afraid." She said.  
Inuyasha felt the same burning sensation in his throat that he had felt a second ago. He swallowed thickly and nodded. "Uh huh," he gibbered.  
Kagome laughed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You know what?" she whispered after a while.  
"What?" Inuyasha replied.  
Kagome's eyes twinkled. "I think I know why I'm so ill."  
Inuyasha's muscles locked up. His face twisted into a sign of grief. He didn't need to hear what Kagome said next.  
"I think I'm pregnant, Inuyasha. Ha! We… we could've started a family."

Inuyasha's chin wobbled. His lips curved into a frown. And then before he knew it – he was crying. He couldn't stop himself. The tears suddenly came then.  
Everything was lost. Everything he could've had – _should've_ had – even after all he'd been through… _this_ was his fate. To die.

Kagome cupped his face in her hands and looked him in the eye. "Don't cry," she whispered – tapping his nose in disapproval. "You don't _cry_, remember?"  
But Inuyasha couldn't stop. Instead, he resorted to shaking his head fervently. "You're right, I don't." he agreed, but he still couldn't stop sobbing.

After all the years of holding back his tears – after that incident of letting them out once – he'd still held them in check. And now they were all flooding out of him.  
Kagome grabbed his hand. "Try and not listen to that fight over there," she gestured to Callisto jabbing her sword in the direction of their two friends. Kagome spoke brightly – but her face showed her true pain.

She knew Miroku and Sango were going to lose the fight. She knew, just my looking at Callisto, that she was stronger. Perhaps it was her miko powers that helped… Inuyasha didn't know.

He nodded. "Uh huh,"

_That_ was when Miroku and Sango were flung back with a cry and Callisto marched, triumphantly forward. "Well, well, well. Who should I find in my little spiders-web, but little Inuyasha? Half-breed _scum_!"

She stepped forward, eyes focused intently on Inuyasha. He squirmed. The tears had settled on his cheeks. He didn't move, didn't try to defend himself. _I'll die here with Kagome… if that's my fate I'm not gonna run away._

Callisto spat on the ground, furious. "You. _Killed_. Hiten. Didn't you?" she growled, pointing her sword at him.  
Inuyasha grimaced. "I did," he said in a flighty tone.

Callisto flinched.

Then a slow smile painted its way across her face. "I don't know what you're so smug about, you flea-bitten hybrid. In fact…" There was a rush of air. And something licked at the night sky, dancing and writhing in the moonlight. It was a tentacle. And it had appeared from nowhere.

"You may not be a bad person, half-breed. But you _have_ done bad things. You've killed. It doesn't matter whether the victim deserved it or not – you _still_ have a bad spirit,"  
_No… _Inuyasha thought. _No, I don't have a bad spirit… I haven't done anything _wrong_…_

Kagome clutched his hand tighter. Her eyes were widening as the tentacle grew and grew. It was as black as the night sky. As black as Callisto's hair. It almost seemed like a tornado, ripping it's way out of the body it had been trapped in.

Callisto laughed. "I like collecting bad souls… I don't normally collect demon ones, though. But I _think_ I can sell on yours – who knows? Maybe you'll make me a very rich girl,"

Inuyasha snarled. He was backing up, pulling Kagome with him. _If I die, I don't want to die like that. I don't want my soul stolen… _  
The two were crawling away, hand-in-hand. Kagome was panicking, hyperventilating. Inuyasha was angry, his skin was prickling – his ears were upright on the top of his head.

Callisto stared at the appendage that had appeared – the tentacle. It wasn't attached to her, but it did as she commanded when she glared at Inuyasha and her intentions became clear.  
The instrument of death writhed for an instant more, then plunged towards Kagome and Inuyasha.

Miroku and Sango turned. Their mouths fell open. "KAGOME! INUYASHA! _RUN_!"  
They didn't really have to say it.  
The half-demon and the human girl were on their feet and sprinting before their friends had even spoken.

"Don't let go of my hand!" Inuyasha cried, holding onto Kagome's wrist as tight as he could. The two weaved, dodged – did anything to get away from the tentacle following them. But it seemed to stretch – Callisto didn't move an inch from her spot in the square.

Inuyasha and Kagome knew in their hearts that they couldn't outrun it.  
"Just… a bit… _more_," Inuyasha panted. He had no idea why his breathing had been reduced to short gasps. He could normally run this fast without breaking into a sweat. But a house had just fallen down on top of him. He'd already run through two domains to get here. He was exhausted.

"Ka-Kagome…" he breathed.  
Kagome looked at him sharply. She kept trying to run – trying to drag him but it was useless. "Inuyasha, don't give up!"  
Inuyasha felt so tired. He couldn't… he couldn't move. His body was shutting down.

"Save yourself…"  
"_No_! Inuyasha, come on…!"  
_SNAP!_  
Kagome screamed. Miroku and Sango let out startled gasps that withered into silence. Then Sango began to sob.

Inuyasha looked, _very slowly_, down. There, pulsating through his body and sticking out like a stake before him… was a tentacle. And it was _real_. There was blood staining the tip where it had pierced through his body. It was lodged someplace by his heart. He thought that it had struck his lung – his breathing was raspy and weak.

Kagome was still holding onto his hand.  
But he was letting go.  
Inuyasha fell to his knees, coughing up blood. And then he felt it. His soul being torn away from his physical body – detachment. The pain – the unspeakable pain.  
But he couldn't scream. He shut his eyes, opened his mouth and got ready to – but he couldn't.

Kagome fell down with him, staring at the tentacle in horror and disbelief. Then it withdrew as sharply as it had come. It took Inuyasha's soul with it. Being dragged back to Callisto was a kicking and screaming apparition – and it was yelling like there was no tomorrow.

No one could understand the words it uttered. It had the shape, form and image of Inuyasha.  
Miroku, Sango and Kagome knew it was him – it was his spirit, his _soul_. And Callisto was holding a jar.  
Inuyasha's soul was going _into_ the jar. His body was slumping forward into Kagome's arms.

The soul… had no colour – it was like a ghost. But Kagome could tell that its eyes weren't _like_ Inuyasha's. They were large. The pupils were small. And they looked so cold…  
The fangs were all wrong too. They were too huge. He looked exactly like he did when he was in demon-form…

Tears spiralled down Kagome's face. _A bad spirit…?_  
Callisto let out maniacal laughter and cupped her chin with her hand. "Oh. Oh, I am so, _so_ bad – aren't I?" she teased, slapping her knee.  
The hand that wasn't up by her face was grasping the soul-jar at her hip. And Inuyasha's soul was inside it – pounding on the glass sides. Flipping out like a madman.

"_Now_,"  
Callisto composed herself and flashed a dazzling smile, brushing back a few wisps of her hair. "Who's next?"


	9. Victimised

**Soul Stealer  
**Chapter Eight – Victimised

_Inuyasha fell to his knees…And then he felt it. His soul being torn away from his physical body – detachment… His body was slumping forward into Kagome's arms… "_Now_… Who's next?"_

Kagome was aware of a few things after that. For instance, Callisto always sounded like she wanted to get a job over with – as if she were slowly getting bored. And not only that, but trapping Inuyasha's soul in a jar hadn't increased her mood – but had worsened it.

Miroku was standing up. His mouth was hanging open and Kagome wondered whether they were _real_ tears in his eyes. Sango had one hand grasping the monk's hip. She was stammering a few words that Kagome couldn't hear.

The _last_ thing she realised was that she felt she was being watched. Not by Callisto. By someone cowering behind a building.  
She turned to her left, trying to make out the shape in the distance. Her eyes locked with two squinty green eyes that were filled to the brim with tears.

The crouching silhouette was Shippo. And he was staring at Inuyasha. _Grieving_.  
Kagome looked down at the lifeless body in her arms. Her eyes refused to cry now that she'd used all her tears up. She rested the half-demon on the ground, and then stood up clumsily.

Her strength hadn't yet returned. She glared at Callisto with a mixture of fury, sorrow and pain.  
Callisto's face brightened but her eyes still held that contrariness. That uncertainty. The grief…

_This has happened to her, _Kagome realised. _What I'm feeling now. She's felt the same – she knows what I'm going through. But… how? How could she have ever loved anyone and _who_ did she love? Maybe I'll find out. If I can just talk to her…_

"You want to join your lover, human?" Callisto asked quietly and steadily. Their eyes locked. Equal arguments on both side, battling away in each other's mind. Trying to make one another understand. Kagome was holding out.  
She looked willowy and graceful – like a goddess or a fallen angel. Callisto looked exactly like what she was – a beautiful demoness.

Kagome was slowly buckling under Callisto's gaze. She stared at the hundreds of jars attached to Callisto's horse and took a deep breath. Her bottom lip wobbled.  
But, without warning, Kagome raised her head high, sticking her chin out. "There's this look in your eye. I don't know who you are or what you are, but I wake up and you've killed a friend of mine. You've destroyed her home and then you break my heart,"

Kagome gestured to Inuyasha's body, her movements trembling and unsteady. Callisto seemed unsure.  
Kagome carried on. "You killed the love of my life, just when I am pregnant with his baby. And I can tell by the look in your eye that something like this was done to you. Surely now that you know someone is hurting as you once were…"

Callisto's face was… _sympathetic_. Truly. Her eyes were becoming pink and she was screwing up her face in regret. Then she softened.  
Miroku and Sango were blinking furiously. They were staring at Kagome in wonder. _She's pregnant?_

Callisto bowed her head. "You're right, human. But you're also oblivious." She raised her head and held Kagome's gaze. "I used to love Hiten – the eldest Thunder Brother."  
Kagome realised now that she'd lost the fight. _Inuyasha_ had killed Hiten. She remembered it all now – the ferocious Thunder Brother who'd orphaned Shippo and punched a hole through a woman's face.

Bile rose in Kagome's throat. She gulped.  
Callisto was continuing. "Your lover there killed him. I simply returned the favour. However. I know how you are feeling, girl. I know the pain. I longed for my life to end so I could join Hiten. But not any more. Revenge is _so_ much sweeter,"

Kagome realised that Callisto's tentacle had disappeared. And she'd also sheathed her blade.  
Kagome relaxed slightly as Callisto continued.  
"I'll let you and your unborn child go,"

Kagome took a deep breath and clutched her stomach tightly.  
She really hadn't thought it would be that easy.

She sent a wistful glance at Miroku and Sango, and then turned to look at the hiding child behind the building. She nodded at Shippo – maybe she could get away with carting him along too.  
Then she looked down at Inuyasha's body. She bent down and tried to pick him up, but it was useless for someone as weak as her.

Shippo stepped nervously over. "I'll help…" he managed to say, shakily.  
He bent down and plucked at Inuyasha's trousers, trying to shift him. He couldn't manage it.  
Kagome began sobbing without any tears.

She knelt down beside Shippo and tried to move Inuyasha too. She couldn't. She was too weak.  
Callisto began watching with amusement. "Pathetic…" she whispered under her breath, glaring at the young demon and teenage human in distaste.

"Kaja," the horse stepped forward, whinnying. Callisto pointed at Kagome unemotionally. "Take the girl to the nearest village. And cart that damn body as well; it sickens me to look at it. Return to me when you're done,"

Kaja began trotting forward, Callisto holding onto her neck and coming along too. "Don't think I'm helping you, human." Callisto grinned at Kagome. "Because I'm not. I'll be back – you'll see. As it is, I can't get to your child without killing you and I have nothing but sympathy for you.

"Any child of that half-breed deserves to die. Really, it's just logic." She smiled devilishly and patted her horse's saddle. "I'm doing you a favour. I'll be along as soon as your baby's born. Take it off of your hands. Destroy it's father's blood… possibly destroy it completely in the process…"

"NO!" Kagome screamed, falling backwards.  
Callisto grinned. "Careful, girl – if you take a tumble, your baby won't live long enough to greet me."  
She looked down at Shippo, and then grunted. "And you can take this little Kitsune with you, too."

"Sango and Miroku…" Kagome looked over at her friends. They were in attacking stances, ready to run at Callisto with full force. They were barely injured – they could fight for a while longer.  
Callisto scowled. "The others _stay_, girl – understand? I'm letting you off as it is."

Callisto grabbed Inuyasha effortlessly and dumped him on the back of the horse. She wiped her hand on her trouser leg, disgusted, after touching him. Shippo jumped on to Kaja with little effort, sniffing. He poked Inuyasha – trying to wake him up.  
Next, Kagome clambered on.

She didn't thank Callisto. Why should she? She'd have been happy to die with Inuyasha if it came to that. Her boyfriend's life had been thrown away – uselessly. And he'd had nothing but a terrible life.

_To think… if we'd just completed the jewel. If we'd just defeated Naraku. We'd be married…  
_Kagome brushed at Inuyasha's hair, fondly. The way she had when he'd been alive and had been holding her. The last time he'd ever do so…  
A tear rolled down her cheek.

"Kaja, go!" Callisto barked.  
The horse reared up, and then began galloping away – with Shippo grasping hold of her mane and looking down at Inuyasha in grief.  
Kagome ignored the two of them. She was being slowly engulfed by her thoughts.

"I'll get behind her while you cause a distraction," Sango whispered in Miroku's ear as they watched the horse cart their friends away. She began manoeuvring away – trying to avoid Callisto's eyes and keep to the shadows.  
Sango's heart was heavy. She didn't remember ever being so… so _broken_. So full of pain.

"Now," Callisto turned to face the two she'd left earlier. Only to find Sango had disappeared. She scowled.  
"Monk, where did the girl go?"

Miroku looked tired. He stared up at the demon, sleepy-eyed and careless. "She ran,"  
Callisto ignored him for a second. Instead she looked around her – but never behind. "I don't see her or hear her, monk. You'd better not be lying…"

"NOW!" Sango cried. She raised her boomerang high in the air then sent it hurtling down at Callisto with all her weight behind the attack. Callisto turned, mouth open. Then dodged effortlessly. It was almost as if she'd teleported – she'd moved that fast.

Sango caught the boomerang and turned in her enemies' direction, frowning in concentration. Callisto frowned back at her. "I'm growing tired of this," she sighed and tugged at her sword. It was in her hand and pointing at Sango's neck before Sango could even open her mouth to reply.

Miroku stepped forward, anticipating the attack.  
Sango was breathing heavily. Her eyes were fixed on the sword before her. Then, slowly, she caved in. "So…" she murmured, hands clamped at her sides. Her boomerang dropped to the floor with a clatter. "… this is where it ends,"

Miroku held up his hands as if to say: _don't say that_. Callisto was panting. She glared at the girl before her. "It is," she said.  
Miroku felt a wrenching at his heart. "Sango…"

Callisto let out a bellowing laugh – sounding almost insane. "Oh, for God's sake, are you all just happy couples! Do I have to kill you all just to make you _see_! No one can know how I feel until they feel it for _themselves_!" she screamed. She was hysterical. Her sword was jittering up and down as her body trembled.

Her eyes were fierce and dark. Her fringe was dishevelled, her lips were parted. She looked afraid. _Vulnerable_.  
Then, in an instant, she recovered. She straightened and her eyes glared at Sango.  
"Goodbye,"

She raised her sword. Sango slammed her eyes shut. Miroku screamed out. And before he knew it, he was pulling the beads away from around his right wrist. Callisto began a war cry… and then her voice dissolved in the stream of rushing wind.

A horizontal tornado ripped through the chaos of the night. Miroku's face was screwed up, his eyes tightly shut. Sweat hovered on his forehead. Sango was stumbling backwards – away. Trying to escape the curse of his hand.

"Where… is… that… _coming from_?" Callisto roared. She was being dragged, unwillingly, towards Miroku's bare hand – and her eyes were dancing wildly. Her hair was like smoke – wild and uncontained, writhing in the air and billowing out like a cloak.

She was screaming. Sango had managed to reach a tree standing idly in the town square and was grabbing hold of it – not letting go.  
Callisto was looking around fiercely. And she knew, without understanding why, that if Miroku managed to suck her up then she'd never see Hiten again – not in the after-place.

And tears were brought to her eyes at that thought. It was too late to fight. There was no escape for her. She, who had brought death to so many others, was going to die herself.  
She, who'd made women widows and children victims, was being victimised herself.

She opened her mouth and wailed at the top of her lungs. "_H-Hiten_…!"  
And then she was gone. Sucked into the wormhole in Miroku's right hand. No trace of her existed. She'd vanished. Disappeared.

* * *

"There's the village!" Shippo cried – his voice hoarse, his eyes still raining tears. Kagome looked up. They were reaching a town teeming with people. Most of them were evacuees that had fled Kaede's village.  
Kagome lowered her eyes. They had to be told their priestess was dead…

And what then? Who would be their priestess? _I will, _Kagome realised with a jolt. Her heart leapt wildly into her throat, but then she calmed.  
Some men were standing with bows poised, aiming at Kagome. But when they saw her they lowered their weapons.

"Lady Kagome!" a few villagers called, upon remembering that she was the reincarnation of their priestess's sister.  
Kagome smiled slightly, but only just.  
The men ran forward. "We thought you were the Soul Stealer. Why are you atop her horse?"

They were close now, at the side of the horse. And they saw Inuyasha's limp body. Their expressions wavered. They looked confused, then sympathetic. They turned back to Kagome. "And what of our priestess?"

Kagome sighed painfully. "Lady Kaede is no longer with us,"  
The men's faces whitened. Then they trudged slowly back to the town they had been evacuated to.  
Kaja whinnied, and kept walking on until they were in the town.

Kagome wondered how Kaja was recognised as Callisto's horse. She looked just like any other. Her mane was a darker brown in contrast to her body, and she didn't seem to have a dark aura or anything.

_It's the saddle, _Kagome realised. She looked down. Beneath her it shone black with mauve and pink lace – sewn into a jar emblem. The logo that was Callisto's trade.  
"Lady Kagome, would you like us to carry him?"

"Huh?" Kagome looked up. Kaja had stopped by the market. And standing around her was a crowd of Kaede's villagers. Some had dreamy expressions on their faces, others looked calm and collected, whilst some looked sad and withdrawn.  
They were all staring at Inuyasha as if he were a hero.

Slowly, Kagome nodded. A woman came and helped her down off of Kaja. Where upon Shippo jumped down too. Kaja didn't leave. She didn't buck Inuyasha's body off. She stood there and whinnied, her brown eyes glinting.

Kagome swallowed and watched as the villagers carried Inuyasha's body away.  
And then she stared harder. She stared until she was squinting.

_Wait. Wh… Where are his ears? _It was true, they were gone. His cute puppy-dog ears were no longer poking out the top of his head. And as the crowd moved like a giant wave, rippling up and down, his hair shook out. And Kagome saw where they had gone.

He had human ears – at the side of his face. And the tips of his white hair were blackening. As if they were being dipped in oil. His ear-tails either side of his face were almost completely black after a few seconds.

None of the crowd noticed. They were trudging along, looking down at the floor. They were carrying him above their heads – arms raised high.

"Hey! Hey, _wait_ a minute!" Kagome cried, running after them. _Inuyasha… is he? He is! H-He's transforming…_

* * *

"Sango? Sango, are you all right…?" Miroku slowly made his way over. His body ached; it had been hard on him to absorb Callisto. Now he stared at the girl he loved with sad eyes.  
Sango looked up at him and smiled shakily.

"You saved me," she croaked, grinning.  
Miroku nodded. "I had too. I couldn't just let her… well…"  
Sango sat up and raised an eyebrow. She'd been reduced to lying on the floor, hugging the tree for all she was worth. But now the threat had disappeared, she'd let go.

"Even if it meant killing someone as beautiful as her?" she jeered. _I've got him there… _she thought, smiling wryly. But she hadn't.  
Miroku sighed and sat down next to her. "Not–" he took a deep breath, then brushed the back of his hand against Sango's cheek. She stiffened, ready to slap him, then… _didn't_.

"Not as beautiful as you," Miroku whispered. He leaned in, shutting his eyes – getting ready to kiss her….  
_SLAP_!  
"Hooouuuusssshhhhiiii-ssssaaaammmaaa!" Sango cried.  
Miroku fell backwards, rubbing his cheek. "_Ow_,"

Sango looked hurt. "How can you _act_ like this when… when one of our friends – no, make that _two_ – have just died!" She was wringing her hands in frustration, glaring at Miroku.  
He opened his mouth to argue back, then didn't. He sighed.  
"You're right," He looked away.

For a while they sat there, looking at the devastation around them. Sango's lip wobbled. "What now?" she whispered, and reached for Miroku's hand. She found it, and held it tightly.  
Miroku glanced at her, and then turned back. An unsure smile crept across his face. "We wait,"


	10. It's Over

**Soul Stealer  
**Chapter Nine – It's Over

_His cute puppy-dog ears were no longer poking out the top of his head…_ _He had human ears…"Hey! Hey, _wait_ a minute!" Kagome cried… _Inuyasha… H-He's transforming…

The crowd stopped when Kagome reached the outer rim. From here she couldn't see Inuyasha's face – he was too high up in amongst the throng of people.  
"Would you lower him down a minute? _Please_?" Kagome asked, battling her way through the crowd.  
Almost immediately, they lowered him down to the ground – where he landed softly.

The group of villagers dispersed and Kagome jerked forward.  
There, on the ground, was Inuyasha. But not as she knew him normally. He looked just like he did on a special night of the month. Looking like he did on the night of the new moon. He was _human_.

His face was creased up as if he were in pain. And Kagome saw that he was _breathing_. His chest was heaving up and down, shaky gasps were escaping his throat and his eyelids were flickering.  
A hand came up to Kagome's mouth. _How? How did he survive that attack? Has his soul returned? Why didn't I notice before? He wasn't breathing _then_…_

"Inu- Inuyasha…?" she whispered, leaning forward. She brushed a couple of loose strands of black hair back behind his ear and stared at him critically. He looked _gorgeous_. His hair was slightly dishevelled, his cheeks were flushed and a little graze was coming up on his nose. A couple of nicks and scratches lined the side of his face and his shirt was hanging off of him.

At the sound of her voice, his face softened. He looked very young, very content. And then slowly, his eyes opened. He took a gulp of air and his dark-violet eyes met with Kagome's.  
Inuyasha sucked in a breath, and smiled. "Kagome…"

* * *

Miroku and Sango walked the route Callisto's horse had taken, heading for Kagome and Shippo. Miroku was walking normally. He had one arm holding onto Sango as she leant on him for support. She was limping and dragging her leg – she'd landed on it oddly when Callisto had flung her away. She hadn't felt the pain till now. 

Neither said a word. Just kept on going. They could see a village in the distance after walking for fifteen minutes. Kagome must have reached it within five on horseback. They had no idea a village had sprung up so close to Kaede's. It must have been new.

Their faces brightened and they smiled. The sun was rising – the dark was being pushed away. The world was being thrown into an odd colour of pink, red and orange. Sango grabbed the hand supporting her and held it – entwining her fingers.

She blinked back tears and looked at Miroku. "Let's find them," she said. Miroku nodded.

* * *

Inuyasha sat up. Kagome took a step backwards, staring at him with her head cocked on one side. He looked around. "W-Where's Callisto?"  
_Oh. Was that her name? _Kagome wondered. She smiled slightly. "She let me go. I think she might be dead, otherwise you wouldn't have woken up, right?" 

Inuyasha glared at her. "What? No. That isn't right. I was dead, I know that… but…"  
He stood up, shaking his head. Kagome stood up with him.  
"I can't explain it. I felt the tentacle _in_ me, and then it... it was like it removed my soul. But it wasn't my…" Inuyasha clutched his head in remembrance, thinking.

Kagome sighed and touched his shoulder. A grin came to her face. "Who cares? You're alive!" And then, almost upon realising it herself, she started bouncing on the spot, laughing. "You're alive! _You're alive_!"

"Kagome?" Shippo cried, running over. And when he saw that: yes, Inuyasha was alive – he squealed. "_Inuyasha_!"  
And then the two pounced on him. "Wha–? Hey!" Inuyasha cried. Kagome giggled and hugged onto him.

"You had me so worried! I thought you were dead…! Well, technically you _were_ dead! But who cares? You're alive!"  
"YEY!" Was all Shippo could say. Inuyasha ruffled the fox-demon's hair and kissed Kagome's forehead.

"Hey, calm down you two," he smiled. "I didn't know I meant that much to ya."  
Kagome glared up at him and pointed her finger at him. "Attention seeker." She scolded. Inuyasha grinned.

Shippo jumped on the spot, tugging on Inuyasha's legs. "Yeah! Now that you're alive we can go back and kick the Soul Stealer's _butt_!"  
"There's no need!" came a startled yet very excited voice. The three friends turned, only to see a very happy and very smug teenager run over.  
"You're okay! Inuyasha, you're really okay!" Sango squealed. Miroku stood there, blinking for a couple of minutes, before coming over and joining them.

Inuyasha laughed. "Keh! If you call being human 'okay'."  
"_We_ manage all right," Kagome noted, staring at him under heavy lids. She was smiling and shaking her head, exasperated.  
Inuyasha flashed her a dazzling smile.

Shippo giggled. "Everyone's back together, everyone's back together," he sang. Inuyasha still had his arms wrapped around Kagome. He was grinning even wider now.  
Miroku was staring at him. "I thought you were dead,"  
"Apparently not," Inuyasha replied.

Kagome held up a finger and brought the excited group to a halt. "Hold on a minute. Hold on!" she turned to face Sango. "Is Callisto dead? Is that what you were saying?"  
Sango nodded. "Miroku sucked her in with his Kazaana. She's gone all right,"  
Kagome nodded back. "Which must be why Inuyasha was brought back…."

"No," Inuyasha cut in. "I _told_ you, Kagome. That _isn't_ the reason."  
Miroku didn't like to but he had to agree. "Inuyasha's right. His soul is still in that jar – we were planning on going back for all the souls after finding _you_, Kagome."

Inuyasha creased up his face. "That tentacle. It was like I had two souls within me and it had to pick which one to take…"  
Kagome blinked. Then blinked again.  
_"You may not be a bad person, half-breed… you _still_ have a bad spirit,"  
"I like collecting bad souls…"_

Bad souls. Callisto stole Inuyasha's _bad_ soul. But… but how could he have _two_? If someone had a bad soul it normally corrupted their original one – they didn't have _two_ sides. So why should Inuyasha?

…_Kagome could tell that its eyes weren't _like_ Inuyasha's._ _They were large. The pupils were small. And they looked so cold…  
The fangs were all wrong too. They were too huge. He looked exactly like he did when he was in demon-form…_

_Inuyasha is a half-demon._ Her mind whispered. _That soul I saw heading into the jar looked like him in demon-form. And here he is now, in human-form. But it's daytime. It isn't a new moon, last night the moon was full…_

And it all meant something. It meant Inuyasha wasn't a half-demon anymore. He was human. Callisto had stolen his demon soul. His demon side.  
And Kagome realised that Inuyasha had just found that out too, in his own way. His eyes were wide.

In one movement, he raised his hands up to tap the top of his head – to feel for his ears. He knew he was in human form, so why was he–?  
"This… this is permanent?" he whispered, hoarsely.

Kagome slowly nodded. Expecting him to flip out, she grabbed his arm. Inuyasha bowed his head. But instead of yelling, he starting laughing. "Looks like I won't need the Shikon Jewel, anymore – right, Kagome?"

Kagome looked bewildered. Then she smiled. "Right,"  
The villagers were still standing around, gawping. But one brave man stepped forward. "Lady Kagome?"  
Kagome turned. "Yes?"  
The man looked afraid. "W-Who will be our priestess, now?" he asked.

Inuyasha's mouth opened. Kagome's did too. She was about to answer the man when he rushed on.  
"It's tradition that the priestess is a woman, of course, but normally she has to be… well, it's not my place to say…"  
Kagome gulped. "Go on,"

The man caught her eye. It was the same man who had asked about Kaede earlier and the same man who had offered to carry Inuyasha. He shifted uncomfortably, his profile lit up in the early morning sun. His dark eyes twinkled. "A priestess has to be either over eighteen… or…"

"_Or_…?" Kagome persisted.  
The man fidgeted. Then lowered his gaze. "Or _married_, ma'am,"  
Kagome flinched. The man was continuing. "There is no one in our midst that has miko powers. You are our _only_ hope…"

Kagome gulped. _God. My luck wasn't good after all. If Kikyo hadn't died then _Kikyo_ could've been their priestess… But then… if she _hadn't_ died none of this would've happened and Inuyasha and I wouldn't have got together…_

Inuyasha's eyebrows came down. He stared at Kagome. "Kagome… you want to do this, I can tell."  
Kagome looked very uncomfortable. "Would I still be able to live on the other side? Miroku and Sango could protect the village at that time…"

The villager looked uncertain. But then slowly nodded. "If that would make you our priestess then we could overlook your absences,"  
Kagome suddenly looked pleading – images of arranged marriages coming to mind. All she wanted to do was grow up and marry someone she _loved_. Inuyasha, for example… "But about getting married. You really can't force me to–"

A cough. A very loud cough interrupted Kagome. Someone elbowed her in the arm. She turned to stare at Inuyasha. "_What_?" she hissed under her breath.  
Inuyasha turned so his back was to the villager but was still looking at Kagome. He spoke out of the corner of his mouth, very slowly and very quietly.

"There's a chapel on the other side of the market…" he said.  
Kagome glared at him. "So?"  
"Lady Kagome, you _have_ to marry. It's the only initiation…"  
Inuyasha looked hard at her. "I _said_ 'there's a chapel on the other side of the market'. Why don't we check it _out_?" His voice was still deadly soft, but with a definite ring to his words.

Kagome folded her arms. "Why should we–?" she didn't get to finish properly. Realisation struck her. _Oh. _  
Her legs began trembling. Her hands began shaking too. "Y-You would do that?"  
Inuyasha shrugged. "Well, it's not like we'd be helping _them_. It's… more like we'd be helping _ourselves_…"

"Oh, Inuyasha!" Kagome cheered and leapt on him, wrapping her arms around him. "_Yes_! Let's go, come on!"  
"_Kagome_?" Miroku, Sango and Shippo cried at the same time. Inuyasha just grinned.  
He started walking away with her.

"Uh, Lady Kagome?" the man called.  
Kagome waved a hand over her shoulder as she latched herself onto Inuyasha's side. "One minute." She stopped, and then looked back. "Sango," she turned to her friend and smiled. "Sango, brush your hair and wash your face. I want you to be the _perfect_ bridesmaid,"

"_Bridesmaid_–?" Sango echoed.

"Yeah, and _you_, Miroku!" Inuyasha turned and sniffed. "_Try_ and look tidy. Shippo, are you coming?"  
Shippo jumped up and sped after his appointed 'parents'. "Am I ever!" he yelled, giggling.

Inuyasha smiled. Kagome smiled. And they looked at each other.  
"Hmm… wasn't this day meant to go with an occasion?" Inuyasha wondered, playfully.  
Kagome rested her head on his shoulder. "Killing Naraku and completing the jewel?"  
"That's it," he grinned.

Kagome smiled. "Well, then, there's a new occasion." She rubbed her abdomen and her smile widened. "Our baby girl,"

Inuyasha stopped. "Uh, I hope you'll find that our baby's a boy,"  
Kagome frowned. "Nuh-uh, it's a girl! I've already named her!"  
"I say it's a boy! He's gonna be named after _me_ and he's gonna be just as handsome!" Inuyasha growled.  
"Girl!"  
"Boy!"

Shippo sighed and shook his head. "They'll never make it to the church…"  
"Girl!"  
"_Boy_!"  
"She's a god-damn girl!"  
"I'm _telling_ you – he's a boy!"  
"Shut up! SIT!"

Inuyasha hit the floor with a bang. Kagome scowled and walked away. "Idiot…" she muttered.

* * *

Oh my God, I can't believe I've finally finished it! My hands are aching…  
Okay, here is where the 'sorry' things are.  
First things first.  
**1. I don't know whether Kikyo dies,  
2. I don't know whether Kagome reaches sixteen in the anime,  
3. I don't know whether Hiten was ever engaged,  
4. Inuyasha's eye colour changes so much – one minute they say it's black, then brown, and then violet – so I picked _dark_-violet,**

And if there's anything else I've missed that's wrong then I'm sorry about that too.

And all I can say to you, Ashleigh, is that: "I am not a porn star wannabe, for Christ's sake!" If you're reading this, then this is for you – _Keh_! You corrupted child…  
Sorry. My friend read this and said I had a dirty mind (end of chapter two/beginning of three and chapter four/five).

It's cause it's the first kind of 'kinky' fic I've ever done. So: thank you, Ashleigh, for that intellectual comment!

And here is the **dictionary **for all of you people who don't know some of the words I put in there (maybe one day you'll understand them). This is sort of for my friends too, who probably won't know what they all mean. Avid Inuyasha fans will know 'em.

Kitsune – fox-demon  
Miko – I think it means priestess, right?  
Hanyou – If I put it in, it means half-demon – you should know that even if you haven't got the subtitled episodes  
Houshi-sama – Sango doesn't call Miroku by his first name; she calls him 'monk'

**I don't remember putting any more than that, but if there are then write the word down on a review and I'll tell ya what it means…**

Hope you liked it. Fingers crossed. And I hope the ending wasn't disappointing! Review please!


End file.
